


Wed

by Max_Lily



Category: All For the Game - Nora Sakavic
Genre: Alcohol, Alternate Universe - Arranged Marriage, Criminal Empires, Drugs, Explicit Sexual Content, M/M, Nora's Extra content, Past Abuse, Physical Abuse, Rated E for later chapters, Slow Burn, Violence, mafia
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-07-06
Updated: 2016-10-18
Packaged: 2018-07-21 20:31:05
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 9
Words: 23,602
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7402822
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Max_Lily/pseuds/Max_Lily
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>When Andrew Minyard takes over the Minyard empire, the Moriyama's attention is quickly drawn to him and his newly-growing Exy team, the Foxes. In an attempt to keep close watch, Neil Wesninski, son of the Moriyamas' "butcher" is wed to Andrew and Neil's hope of escape from the world of criminal empires is squashed.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. The Meeting Room

**Author's Note:**

> Hello there :D  
> I read this amazing series and couldn't stop thinking about it, and what better way to indulge myself than writing a fanfic? 
> 
> ******Disclaimer******  
>  Characters belong to the amazing Nora Sakavic!! 
> 
>  
> 
> **Enjoy!!!**

Neil felt his stomach clench nervously and his hands slick with cold sweat as his footsteps echoed across the marble floor. His head started throbbing the moment his father had announced where they’d be going and his throat had gone so dry that hadn’t been able to speak or make any type of sound- not that he’d ever dare to speak unaddressed in the presence of his father anyway- but he knew that Nathan Wesninski would expect his son to speak loud and clear, not cower or fret in front of all his friends. 

He’d learned that the hard way… so he forced himself to swallow, easing the dryness while he forced his gaze away from the floor and tried to look calm as he was greeted with the familiar smell of old leather and whiskey.

The Moriyamas’ meeting room was just across the living room. Neil always found it eerie that Kengo Moriyama would discuss crime, murder and conquest so close to where he sits with his family. But then again, his whole family was part of his criminal empire and Neil doubted that even his sweet wife wasn’t privy to his business despite the sound-proof walls of the meeting room. 

Smartly-dressed men greeted them as Neil and his father entered the cigar-filled room and he made sure to wipe his sweaty hands on his pants before offering his hand to firm handshakes and he made sure to plaster an unwavering smile as he was patted in the back. He felt his father’s eyes on him as he confidently engaged in small talks and tried not to imagine the blood on all these men’s’ hands. 

_You’ll be fine,_ he told himself. _Be good. Obey._

But he felt the mantra screech into an immediate halt as Kengo entered, his three sons by his side. All dressed in dark suits, dark hair combed away sleekly. At his presence, the men who’d been casually loitering about, whiskey in hand, straightened up and took up their assigned seats.

It was always the same seats, unless a new partner or member was taken under the Moriyama wing- or claw, more like…  
Neil sat next to his father and tried to keep his jittering nerves under control, discreetly inhaling calming breaths and clenching his fingers tight under the long, Mahogany table. 

He watched as Ichirou, Riko and Kevin took their respective seats beside their father. Neil wanted to glance at them and distinguish whether or not they were as scared as he felt, but as always, his eyes stayed glued to Kengo in the way some would freeze at an oncoming freight of terror. Mr. Moriyama’s expression never strayed from neutral but Neil had seen that a single flick of his wrist could mean a detached head or a ripped arm. 

His dark eyes regarded everyone in the room with ease as he leaned back on his chair and rested his clasped hands on his stomach. 

Neil felt his eyes water as the gaze swept over him for a second. Even his father tensed beside him as the room fell into an uncomfortable silence. Then suddenly, his expression relaxed and formed an amused smile. 

“Good afternoon, friends.” The tension visibly eased. Kevin’s shoulders slumped in relief. 

Neil retreated to an empty, unhearing shell he was so used to. He’d been at enough of these meetings to know that he’d hear a bunch of haunting topics of conversation otherwise. He let his eyes wonder over the faces of the Moriyama sons, wondering what worse things they could have heard or witnessed. He watched the engaged frown on Ichirou’s face and the smirking expression on Riko’s face and felt sick to his stomach. Would he turn out to be like them? Would he be sucked into this world too? 

His gaze landed on Kevin for a moment and he watched the younger son clench his jaws as his unfocused eyes stared resolutely ahead. Neil knew others wouldn’t notice, but he did. He’s been wearing that expression all his life after all.

Suddenly the other boy’s eyes widened just slightly and Neil felt curious enough to listen in on the conversation.  
“…foxes. Apparently, they’ve been successful ever since.” A small, pudgy man was saying. His gold watch caught the light as he swallowed his amber drink in one go. Lenard Caruthers. One of his father’s frequent contractors. 

“Is it true then?” Nathan’s voice was calm as he addressed the head. Not many would dare address Kengo, but his father was particularly close to the Moriyamas and was feared enough himself to do so. “Is she dead, Mrs. Minyard?”

“Yes, it’s true. Her son murdered her.” Kengo’s loud voice sent a shiver through Neil. “My sources haven’t been able to find much more information.” 

“So, her whole empire is under a _boy’s_ hands?” Nathan sneered. 

“Don’t be so quick to undermine him,” Kengo glared. “His mother wasn’t a threat to us but that family’s empire was strong. It doesn’t make a difference who the head is. In fact, we have something to watch out for now that he has the Foxes under him. ”

Neil’s attention perked up at that. The Foxes were a newly formed Exy team that Neil had been hearing of frequently- first for how much of a mess they were, and now for their slowly growing skills. 

“Cut the head off, kill the snake” Nathan laughed as he puffed out smoke into the already clouded air. “Bullshit.” 

Kengo smiled at that as if that amused him too before leaning forward. “That was why I called for this meeting today. We need to keep an eye on the Minyards and the foxes.” 

“Kevin,” he said suddenly and the boy startled so hard that Neil felt bad for him. “You’ll be transferring to their team. We need inside resources.”

Kevin’s face visibly paled and Riko turned sharply to glare at his younger brother. None of them dared to say a word to the direct order as Kevin nodded. 

“But,” Campbell started, his brows constricted in a frown. “They’d never take a Raven willingly.”

“Yes, they will.” Kengo grinned, teeth yellow and gaze piercing. No one dares turn away what the Moriyamas have to offer. It was a form of disrespect that would surely mark them a threat and result in immediate death. 

“We shall also be bound to them through an offer of marriage from our own.” He continued.  
Confused glances and mutters filled the wide room at that statement.  
“I doubt that they’d see that as an offer of peace.” Nathan tilted his head in contemplation. 

“Doesn’t matter.” Kengo said simply. “They shall accept or they shall refuse.” The last word was uttered with a promise of wrath and pain. Neil winced. 

“So,” Caruthers said confusedly. “Are they our enemies or friends?” 

“Enemies.” Riko hissed and his father shot him a threatening look. He slumped back in his seat. Riko was the captain of the Ravens and obviously looking forward to the Foxes’ execution. He looks forward to death and pain, all in all actually.

“Neither, for now.” Kengo said slowly as he raised his glass towards his son for a re-fill. “We’ve recently been able to identify his features and were able to follow him a while before the boy grew wise.” He continued,

“We know now that he prefers boys.”

Neil’s blood grew cold and a wave of panic forced him out of his impassive expression. He felt his face crack like an ancient piece of bark as he fought to keep the façade on, but from the way Kevin glanced at him quickly, he knew that he was failing. 

His hands were shaking in his lap and his lungs burned from trying to keep his breaths even. 

Kengo’s gaze snapped to him and observed him calmly around his raised cup of whiskey. As if he wasn’t about to ruin Neil’s life, reduce his very last hold on sanity to ash and dust. As if he wasn’t squashing his last hold on freedom. 

“How old is your son, Nathan?” Mr. Moriyama inquired without taking his dark eyes off him. 

“Old enough.” His father answered smugly. Satisfied that _his_ son was chosen. “Nathaniel is 15.” 

The sound of his real name pierced through his panic and set him into a new kind of frenzy. He glanced at his father, the butcher. The auburn hair and blue eyes so similar to his. He peered through the tears in his eyes for any sign of mercy, of compassion. He wouldn’t offer him to a murderer, would he? 

“Father, please…”

The reply came in the form of a stinging slap across his face. The room went eerily quiet as Neil’s whole world teetered at the edge of his vision. He felt disapproving glares like hot iron across his skin. He was wrong to show such blatant weakness, and as he looked at his father’s bared teeth and flashing eyes, he knew he’d be punished later.

But all Neil could think was that his new position as a bridge between the two empires made him too vital and if he were ever to try escaping again, he’d be faced with not only his father’s but Kengo’s wrath as well.

He was never going to escape. Neil felt his throat closing up with the new realization but he swallowed and fixed his gaze on Mr. Moriyama.

“I’ll do it.”


	2. The Arrangement

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you to everyone who left comments and kudos so far!!! The response was far from what I had expected and it just really pushed me to write more :) All the comments were just so sweet, thank you guys <3<3<3

The sun was barely up when Neil woke; in fact, it was well dark. His shirt stuck to his back in cold sweat and his whole face felt clammy. He’d been running again in his dreams. With a shaky breath, he heaved himself up and donned on his jacket before checking his pockets for his pack of cigarettes. 

When his fingers closed around the box, his nerves eased a little. 

As always, the hallways were empty. Not one of the many house maids appeared as Neil made his way out of his room and across the courtyard to the edge of the woods surrounding the mansion. He lit one of his cigarettes as he went. His head felt clattered with thoughts and unfocused, but his feet easily led him through the familiar path in the slowly brightening morning haze. 

The coil of both hatred and regret burned bitter at the sight of his mother’s name scrawled in his writing across a slab of concrete. _Mary Hatford_. All those years running and here they were now- his mother’s body buried clumsily in sand near the pacific coast, only this piece of stone and two lock picks to remember her by. And Neil… under spotlight of the politics in his father’s business, trapped like a wingless bird in a cage. 

Making this headstone was the second thing he did after his father had caught him, recovering from his father’s wrath was the first thing he did. At the thought, Neil’s fingers drifted to the raised skin on his right arm. The butcher didn’t get his name for nothing after all; he had a thing for knives. 

Neil never knew why he even bothered with the gravestone. His mother was a wretched, paranoid thing. She was half-crazy with desperation of escape and only a shadow of a person. The only thing she gave him was her proclivity for paranoia and her tiny size. Never had she touched him but to slap him out of crying or to snap his attention away from girls. And yet Neil came here often, trying to recall her small smiles at his little league Exy games, trying to wash away the look of dying breath on her face as she gripped his arms desperately. 

Today was different though, today was a good-bye. Neil knew he didn’t have the words nor the willingness to say anything, so he only focused on the satisfying burn in his lungs as he inhaled strongly and stood watching the slow ascent of the sun through tall trees. 

~ ~

When Neil returned to his room, he found neatly folded clothes on his newly-made bed. The sight brought on the earlier panic that he’d been trying to ease, but he swallowed it down and discarded his sweatpants and jacket before jumping in the shower. 

As he closed his eyes under the torrent of cold water, Neil tried to imagine what his new life would be like. Despite the fact that he was the pawn in this game, no one had bothered to inform him much about what to expect and he was smart enough to know not to ask his father. It’s been three years since the marriage had been arranged and despite Neil’s desperate wishes, Andrew Minyard had officially accepted the offer. Once the offer was accepted, Neil knew that there must have been several meetings between Minyard and the Moriyamas, but he never caught sight of the man. 

There were several nights when Neil would stay awake trying to picture his to-be-husband’s features. More frequent than not, he pictured him with a bloated stomach, sagging skin and furry brows. There were also nights when he’d try to picture him as handsome, but it didn’t matter to Neil either way. He isn’t attracted to anyone. The only good thing that could come out of this arrangement was Exy. Kevin had transferred three years ago and today, Neil would be recruited as a striker for the Foxes.

Neil etched onto that thought with his last remaining shred of hope as he dressed in the smart pair of dark slacks and crisp, white shirt. The luggage he’d packed last night was right where he left it at the foot of the bed, but Neil hauled it on to the bed and felt under the clothes till his fingers landed on the rough, worn edges of his binder. He knew that there was no hope of escape after this, but the thought of bringing his IDs, passports and list of contacts calmed him. 

There was a knock on his door and Neil startled, quickly slamming the bag shut and zipping it up with fumbling hands. As he tentatively eased the door open, a middle-aged woman smiled at him warmly.

“Good Morning, Mr. Wesninski,” She greeted before she flitted past him into the room. 

“It’s Neil.” He muttered, feeling dumb. She only glanced at him condescendingly before easing her cleaning bucket on the floor. Neil didn’t recognize her but he recognized that look from others when he kept insisting on being called _Neil_. It wasn’t that he liked that name particularly, he’d gone by a total of 22 names while he was on the run and names had grown to be meaningless words where others found sentiment in it; it was that _Nathaniel_ was too close to sounding like _Nathan_ ; it was that each time he heard his real name, he felt his father’s quivering anger and heard his mother’s desperate cries. 

_Neil_ was the name he’d taken right before he’d been caught and it was a reminder of the last taste of freedom, the last fight. 

“Your father is waiting for you downstairs,” the woman said as she collected his discarded clothes and placed them in a laundry basket. 

Neil nodded with a dry mouth.

~ ~

“You are to keep your last name.” 

They were seated in the living room by the large table when his father decided to talk to Neil about this new life he’d been forced in. Three years and Nathan thought now- few minutes away from Andrew Minyard’s arrival- was best to address the marriage.

“I expect you will behave and not bring shame to your family,” he hissed from beside him. Neil tramped down the urge to snort at the word _family_. He nodded instead. 

“Don’t utter a single word about what you’ve seen or heard that has to do with us,” he continued. “And if you even think about running, I’ll make sure…” 

The threat was cut short by a shrill sound from his father’s pocket.

“Are they here?” he asked gravelly. A short pause followed as he furrowed his brows and listened.  
“Stay on guard. Anything suspicious and you know what to do.” He growled before shutting his phone off.  
Terrell Lawrence, the Moriyamas’ lawyer started easing out paper work from his briefcase and placing them neatly on the table. Neil glanced at his own suitcase safely tucked in a corner of the large room, mentally going over the contents of his binder.

Not a minute later, brisk footsteps echoed in the spacious hallway beyond the walls and stopped right by the door. A lanky, young man walked in first and caught Nathan’s eye. Nathan only straightened up in his seat before giving a jerk of the chin. 

The man disappeared and came back seconds later with several people in tow. As soon as Neil caught sight of Kevin, he felt a sting of envy. His dark hair was a bit messy as if he just got out of practice and the black ink on his cheeks still marked him second to his brother, Riko. Neil had tracked his career in Exy through the years and had grown to accept the fact that Kevin Day had gotten the better end of things, but he still felt bitter as he noticed that the hollow, empty look from that day during the meeting was gone, replaced by a wary expression as his green eyes took in the room.

The next man who walked in was dressed as casually as you could possibly be in such a situation. His tall figure only made his confident glare and inked arm feel more threatening. If Neil hadn’t done a good amount of research, he would’ve guessed that David Wymack was a bodyguard and not an Exy coach. 

Finally, a figure walked in, flanked by two obscenely large men. In contrast to them, Andrew Minyard looked like a small child. If Neil had to guess, he’d say Minyard was shorter than even an Exy racquet, but Neil had been taught to observe well and somehow he felt that Andrew Minyard did not need other men to protect him at all- despite his miniature size. 

Whereas Kevin wore a simple shirt, Andrew was dressed in black -from the dress shirt to the pants- that contrasted starkly with his blond hair. His hazel eyes only spared the room a lazy, expressionless gaze, but Neil didn’t miss the way they snagged at one of the bookshelves. If Neil remembered correctly, there was a secret door behind that shelf and if he knew his father enough, there were armed men on the guard just behind it.  
Neil watched the other boy as he walked in and noted the lithe underlining behind the lazy stride. He shook his father’s hand calmly, neither bothering with greetings. When he reached Neil, he gave him a bored once over and offered his hand. Neil shook it firmly, resisting the urge to punch him instead. 

“It appears you haven’t brought a lawyer.” Lawrence spoke up after they’ve all settled in their seats.

“Didn’t need one.” Andrew answered simply. From the casual way he speaks, one would think that there weren’t eleven armed men waiting for Nathan’s cue. Lawrence’s dark-skinned face contorted with confusion as he glanced towards Nathan. 

His father cleared his throat. “Right, let’s get on with it then.” 

They dealt with the Exy agreement first. Coach Wymack watched as Neil signed, an unidentifiable expression on the older man’s face.

“We will discuss rules, regulations and equipment later on.” He said to Neil gruffly.

“Ok.” 

At that, the lawyer began reciting the terms of the marriage to Andrew. Neil drowned him out and tried not to run as Kevin Day threw him a pitying look from across the table. Beside him, Andrew looked equally inattentive, if not more. His features blank as he watched Neil’s stiff form. The only sign of feeling in the twitch of his fingers on the arm of the dark leather couch.

Neil leveled him with a calm look of his own, refusing to back down from this subtle battle. If he was to be bound to this stranger for the rest of his lives, he was going to make sure he had the upper hand of things. He wasn’t about to be anyone’s bitch.

As if Andrew read his thoughts, his lips formed into a smirk. Neil tried not to flinch at the maniacal twist of his face. Lawrence’s voice droned on the last pieces of agreement terms and then thrust the paperwork to Andrew. The blond boy leaned forward and signed without a second thought.

Neil’s blood had started to thrum with silent terror by this time and his eyes followed the paper as it was slowly pushed towards him. He didn’t know how long he stared at the blue ink scrawled next to the blank space left for him, but he must have taken long because his father clenched his fists irritably beside him. 

His fingers closed tight around the pen for fear of his hand shaking. It shook anyway- once he signed the paper, and let go of the pen. Fortunately, his father was too busy talking to Minyard to notice it. They might’ve talked about him, they might’ve talked about business. Neil couldn’t clear the fog enough to listen. Their voices felt miles away, muffled by the sudden tilt in his life as blood throbbed in his ears. He had only one thought in his mind as he stared at the two signatures side by side. 

_This is it._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I've checked the text several times, but I might've made a few mistakes. If you see any that irk you, let me know! Leave comments below <3 and leave kudos if you've enjoyed it so far!! I expect to update very soon and I promise you'll see more of the foxes and more of Andrew of course ;)


	3. The Minyard Mansion

If there was anything to describe how Neil felt looking at his house through tinted windows, minutes away from departure, it would be _empty._ For as long as he could remember, he hated that house. The building was imposing, marred by unnecessary detail structure. The hallways were too long, filled left and right with numerous doors through which Neil was never allowed. The ornaments, furniture and decorations only reminded Neil of the blood spilt to have it.

There was a time early in his life when his mother was optimistic enough to hold his little hands and flit about the house, pointing out little nooks and crannies, making an adventure out of the bleak house. There was a time when he’d look at the feigned excitement, the over-exaggeratedly mysterious tone in his mother’s voice and feel like he had a home. But that was a long time ago and he only felt relief as he sat in a stranger’s car, sparing the looming structure a brief glance.

“Slow the fuck down, Andrew!” blared horns and screeching wheels accompanied Kevin’s panicked voice to pull Neil out of his reverie.

Considering Andrew’s position in the crime world, he oughtn’t even be behind the wheels and given his evident lack in proper driving ethics, his friends should’ve never let him. And yet, here they were, gripping the seats white-knuckled as the manic blond weaved through the roads like he was driving the _Knight bus._

Kevin’s protest was only met with silence, as Neil learned was the usual response from Andrew. He didn’t know whether to be intimidated or grateful of this nature. To be frank, he wasn’t sure of anything. All those years he’d had to contemplate his life, he wasn’t able to think much past the dread of signing those papers. He couldn’t. He wasn’t sure what to expect from his new life partner and he wasn’t sure what part to play. All he knew was that he spent all those years trying to _survive_ and now that he was somewhat free from his father’s clutches, he was going to _live_ instead- meaning Exy and meaning not taking shit from a midget- even if it means death, even if it sets his mother’s body rolling in her grave. 

~ ~

If being stuck for two hours in a car that was inches away from an accident with Andrew, Kevin and a mute bodyguard was awkward, then there were no words to describe how it felt standing in front of the Minyard mansion, suitcase in hand. 

The house was nothing compared to the wesninskis’ pretentiously built one. For all the ornamentation of the front iron gates and the immaculately kept expanse of compound leading up to it, the house was actually simple- although quite huge. The white paint was brand new, adding a sharp, chemical tang to the fresh breeze brought in from the surrounding woods. Despite the secluded nature and significant amount of distance from town, the air felt loud and busy. 

“Welcome home, hubby,” Andrew drawled, slipping a newly-lit cigarette between his lips. He leaned against the car as the bodyguards slipped past Neil to enter the house. Neil would have laughed out at the ridiculousness of the term hadn’t it been said with such spite- or cried at the sudden reality of life as a stranger’s husband. Instead, he clenched his fists and controlled his expressions as Andrew hungrily searched his face for a reaction. 

“Feeling right home already,” he retorted. He was earned a loud laugh. Neil watched cautiously as Andrew’s hazel eyes flashed in a malicious manner, contrasting greatly to his light laughter. Kevin shifted his feet uncertainly from where he was standing. 

“Kevin,” barked Coach Wymack as he slipped out of his own car. “What are you doing there, shuffling around like a lost puppy?” He gestured to Neil’s suitcase, “Help him with his stuff.”

Neil’s fingers automatically tightened their grip on his bag. The thought of parting with his only material possession in this uncharted new ground that is now his life made him panic. Neil might have given up on the idea of escape that unfortunate night when his father’s face had appeared after so many years, but the thought that he’d have everything he’d need nearby if he were desperate enough to attempt it again comforted him nonetheless. 

He had to keep it safe where no one could get to it and that resolution must have registered on his face because Wymack’s eyes flicked to his tight grip on the bag the same time Andrew’s face split into a grin that chilled Neil. 

“What’s this?” the blond jeered. “The butcher’s son feeling sentimental about his belongings?”

Neil imagined wrapping his fingers around the blond’s throat as tight as his grip on his bag, but he settled on a death-glare instead, his father’s warning chiming in his head. 

“Are you hiding something in there?” hazel eyes flicked down curiously, ignoring the fury rolling off Neil. “Gonna take out daddy’s knives in the middle of the night and slit our throats?” 

“You’d be first,” Neil spat, trying to calm his fraying nerves. Picking a fight the first day won’t ring well with Nathan. 

Kevin visibly tensed and Andrew laughed as if the implication was amusing. Neil didn’t know whether the sick feeling in his stomach was at the assumption that he was anything similar to his father or at the nonchalant way Andrew dismissed his threat. 

“Never mind, Kevin,” Wymack said, appearing unruffled by Andrew’s words. “I’ll take care of this. You keep an eye on that fucker.” 

From the answering obscene hand gesture, Neil guessed ‘that fucker’ was Andrew. Only this maniac would lead a criminal family, only he would be so disrespectful as to flip off his own coach. If Neil hated his husband before, he _loathed_ him now. 

~ ~

Neil followed numbly as Wymack weaved through a maze of hallways, pointing out several sections of the large mansion. He only nodded politely as the older man rattled off explanations, not really listening. The only thing his ears caught was that the rest of the foxes were on court for their day’s practice. If Wymack asked a question, Neil would’ve nodded all the same-and maybe he did- but if the coach noticed anything off about Neil, he didn’t comment. 

“I figured you’d want to keep it somewhere safe.” Wymack said as he took out keys to open a door. Neil had no idea how they ended up here, few feet away from the enormous mansion, in front of another house. He hadn’t bothered to map out the mansion during his tour; he figured that, as the owner’s husband, he’d have the rest of his life for it. 

There was a small stone trail that led to Wymack’s house as well as many other buildings. It reminded Neil of the Moriyama mansion, the way it was built like a small town. 

Once inside, the coach led him to the back where he proceeded unlocking another door. The room was small, tiny in comparison to the scale of its surroundings. There was a small bed, a desk and a closet. Neil could tell it had been unoccupied for quite a while- which may have to do with the absence of a window… Who’d build a bedroom without a window anyway? 

“It’s safe here, I promise” Wymack gestured at the claustrophobic walls in the dark room and Neil glanced at him, wondering if he should trust him. He was a Wesninski, the butcher’s son. There was no way they won’t search his belongings. And what could Neil do about it? He wasn’t here on his own terms anyway. He had no choice. 

“Here,” Wymack offered him a small key. “There’s a safe in that closet. No one has the key but you.” He added, clearly sensing Neil’s doubt. Neil ignored the outstretched hand, searching the man’s face instead. He only saw tiredness- the kind that comes from deep understanding and resignation. It was lost on Neil why this man would go to such length to make him comfortable, but he knew somehow that he was sincere.

And that gave him the slightest sense of safety, which was more than he could ask for. Neil’s throat constricted with some feeling. “Thank you,” he mumbled, resisting the urge to flinch at the unfamiliarity of the word. 

He took the key.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yes, I am a Harry potter freak (If you caught the reference: _the Knight Bus_ )
> 
> I originally meant to make this chapter longer, but it didn't feel right. I felt like meeting the foxes and stuff warranted a chapter of its own :) 
> 
> Also, I want to make somethings clear about this story. The foxes are playing for Palmetto but are supported almost wholly by Andrew, therefore, are (unofficially) under him. This power he has over them is the sole reason he can get off being such a brat to Coach Wymack lol. Also Andrew plays for them when he feels like it (just like in the books). Basically the Andrew in this story has more power and is, therefore, more of a difficult jerk.
> 
> This one's a slow chapter but don't worry guys, things will pick up soon!!


	4. The Foxes

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys!
> 
> I just wanted to say thank you for all the comments and kudos ;) I wish I could update every single day just for y'all. This story is turning out to be longer than I expected and I have a feeling it's gonna be a looot of chapters. I feel like I haven't even started yet and I'm just so excited to keep it going!

Neil heard his own pulse ringing in his ears as he followed Coach Wymack to the Foxhole court, each erratic beat of his heart in sync with his hurried footsteps on the paved road. He felt a sort of electrifying excitement bubbling under his skin. He’d been jittery through the whole process of enrollment at the university’s main building. His sights were set on the scattered trinkets of the school’s Exy team; on orange foam hands and cringe-worthy cheer quotes. It distracted him from reminiscing past experiences with schools and berating himself too much when old lies slipped. 

Ever since he and his mother had been on the run, they had to makeup elaborate lies everywhere they went. Fake names, fake passports, fake lives… Neil has been there through and through, thanks to Mary’s connections. The first few weeks, his mother had been keen on making it seem like some sort of vacation, but Neil was well aware of his father’s tendencies at that age and was well aware that they were running for their lives. Her efforts didn’t last anyway; all it took was a few close calls and all pretenses of fun were dropped. And then of course, one of those close calls had been too close and Neil was left spinning his own lies to explain why his parents weren’t available. Lies were so engrained into him that he often found himself pondering where they ended and he began. He’d lied so often that _he_ was becoming a lie. 

So once he’d corrected himself and muttered ‘Nathaniel’, he only helplessly watched as the skeptic old woman erased the previous name, _Neil Josten._

Exy was the only truth left in him. It was the only thing that made him a tangible entity- not names, not relations. And as his fingers hooked in the court’s fence, as he rested his head against the cool surface of intercrossed metal, he felt it calling to him. Figures flit about in their gears, clashing now and then in the heat of the game. It made Neil’s blood sing with anticipation. He could almost feel the smooth wood of a racquet under his fingers, feel it reverberate with the force of a hit. 

“Kevin was right,” Wymack muttered beside him, as if talking to himself. “There might be more to you than a pawn in the Moriyamas’ game.” 

_Kevin_ , Neil thought. _The unsolved variable in the equation._

“There is,” Neil replied. It felt like a promise. 

~ ~

Fortunately, they didn’t stay long behind the fence and Neil was able to divert his clamoring excitement away from the practicing, orange-clad figures on the court. Wymack punched in a code -that Neil failed to catch- and soon, Neil was in the Foxes’ quarter. The reality of it was sinking like a hole-punched raft in the middle of the Atlantic. 

The first room was the lounge. One step in and Neil was bombarded with so much orange that he instantly missed the drabness of his life- the colorless, unnoticeable clothes; the empty-walled apartments. Neil had never given much notice to trivial things like color, but he was sure now that orange wouldn’t be his answer to the customary question: _what’s your favorite color?_

It seems Andrew had the same apprehension about color because he was dressed in all-black once again. This time in a more casual attire that consisted of a long-sleeved shirt and black jeans. His usual malicious vibe was gone and replaced with a blank look. From his spot on one of the large couches, he seemingly leeched out all the vibrancy of orange around them. Neil couldn’t help but feel baffled at the sudden turn of moods.

“Little fucks!” Coach exclaimed, falling in step behind Neil. “How many times…” his beady eyes fixed on Kevin who was fretting over hiding a bottle between the cushions.

“Hand it over,” Wymack growled, storming towards the lounging boys. Kevin sat up quickly and threw Andrew a helpless look; most likely in search for backup- he didn’t even get a glance back. He must have gotten the hint because he sighed to himself and dug in between the cushions before holding out the half-empty bottle of amber liquid. From the force Wymack used to snatch the bottle, it was a wonder that Kevin’s arm stayed intact. 

The coach’s mouth opened several times in an attempt to articulate his scorn in words, and managed to settle on a scowl at Andrew at last.

“I know you don’t give two shits about Exy,” He said. “But I could always take it out on your little group of leashed puppies.” 

Andrew glanced at the large, seething man calmly. The only sign he was even aware of his surrounding was the wistful look he gave the bottle of alcohol in Wymack’s hands. Neil wished he could be as aloof; it was better than the helplessly terrified feeling that gripped his entire being and closed up his throat. The last time an older man had been furious like this, he’d almost lost his legs. His fluttery fingers itched to feel around his ankles, to feel the raised skin that always reminded him that Nathan hadn’t gone through with his promised intent of cutting off his legs. 

Neil forced himself to calm down, clenching his fingers in a fist tight enough that his nails dug into his palms. But his attempts were in vain really; no one paid him any attention. Wymack was stuck in a steadily failing attempt at threatening Andrew and Kevin was too busy visibly panicking over the threats like they were aimed at him- Neil guessed they might well be for all the obsession the dark-haired boy felt for Exy.

Finally, Wymack gave up on the one-sided stare down and spared the wide-eyed Kevin a silencing glance. “Shut up, Kevin.” 

Kevin, who was well into reciting an apology speech, gave a curt nod. “Yes, coach.” 

“Go get everybody. Practice ends early today.” He cradled the bottle in his hands as he headed down a hallway towards, Neil assumed, his office. He watched with a receding, muffled panic as the older man disappeared, muttering something about his _good bottle of whiskey._

Once Kevin’s stumbling figure went in search for the foxes, Neil grew extra aware of the other boy in the room. He risked a glance and found that Andrew was watching him uninterestedly. His hazel eyes had dulled now that there wasn’t a familiar spark of ill-will in them. There were dark circles under them. There was such a profound change in the way he held himself compared to earlier. Neil had a feeling that the alcohol might be the only thing keeping him from scattering. 

“Couldn’t you have asked one of your brutes to buy you some?” Neil asked abruptly, certain that he didn’t need to elaborate. He was sure Andrew knew that he was referring to the bodyguards.

The blond showed no sign that he even heard him as he moved to lay on the couch with his arms over his eyes. Neil turned away, sure that he would be ignored. 

“They’re not always there.” Neil snapped his head to the laying figure, surprised with the calm tone. This might be the first time he heard Andrew Minyard be anything but malicious and infuriating. 

Neil wasn’t sure if this empty husk was any less threatening than the obnoxious, crazy demeanor, but he knew that the quiet intensity and dead feel to those eyes made a chill run down his spine. And that should’ve warranted some kind of caution, but somehow, Neil felt an urge to prod.

“Why?” his voice had softened as if out of fear that a wide smile would stretch Andrew’s lips in that unnatural way.

“I don’t want them to.” Was the reply, said in such a simple manner that it almost assured Neil that there wasn’t much more meaning behind those words. Almost. 

Neil suddenly felt himself wondering things he hadn’t given much thought to before. He had been so caught on reeling from the turn out of that day during the meeting that he hadn’t even wondered about the whole story behind this boy he’d been wed to; did he really kill his own mother? Did he want to be head or was it handed to him through the line of power? Did Andrew even want to be part of any of this?

Neil opened his mouth, meaning to shoot a torrent of questions but unsure where to start and how to ask. He wasn’t able to dwell on it much longer though; before he could gather his thoughts, a flurry of excited sounds echoed in the foyer, travelled through the halls and followed the rest of the foxes as they entered the lounge.

There was minimal media coverage on foxes as far as Neil had gathered from his habits of tracking Kevin Day. If there was any talk about them, it was on Wymack’s ideals and intentions for gathering “misfits of all kind”, it was to question the coach’s sanity or to sympathize with him. After Kevin’s transfer, it was on him solely, unrelated to his new team. There are also times when they would be praised for improvement and be deemed competition, but that sort of news had proved to be only brief. Some time or another during their finer moments, something would occur to further cement their bad name. Occurrences of misdemeanor, in most- if not all- cases.

After learning of his new position as their striker, though, Neil made it his job to scrounge up any information on them alongside Kevin. He wasn’t able to learn much. There weren’t even pictures. Andrew’s doings, Neil assumed. 

When Neil imagined meeting the foxes, he’d imagined shaking hands and exchanging names. He imagined formal introductions and an initiation that consisted of Wymack relaying rules and welcomes; he did not expect it to end in a short array of excited exclamations, comments and pats on the back.

Most of all, he did not imagine that Aaron Minyard was Andrew’s twin. Neil’s eyes snagged on him as soon as he entered. He felt dumb-founded as his eyes flit between the two brothers. He really wished there had been more to find out about this bunch before he’d come.

A tall, dark-haired boy with brown eyes was first to react to his presence, exclaiming, “Andrew, you didn’t tell me how striking our new striker is” and preceding to cackle at his own joke as he reached to give Neil a one-armed hug and then- “Yeah, there’s two of them unfortunately” after noticing Neil’s baffled state. Andrew only stared blankly and Aaron flopped on a chair, not bothering with greetings. 

“I’m Nicky,” the boy continued, brown eyes flashing with apology, “Those two are my cousins.” Neil didn’t get a chance to ponder the accuracy of it, noting a significant difference in height as well as skin tone before the tall boy went off pointing and rattling everyone’s name. Neil suddenly felt glad that he knew their names already and only had to put the faces to the names.

Dan was short-haired and energetic. She was the captain and rightfully so given the general, no-bullshit vibe she gave off. It reminded Neil a bit of Wymack’s sturdy manner. Although, Danielle was warm and inviting where coach was unamiable. 

“Haven’t been on the court quite a while, I hear.” She said as she approached him, “I expect you’ll catch up, eh?” she slapped his back with a friendly smile still intact, but Neil could sense the threat behind it as well. He stumbled a bit, caught unawares with the force. 

“Forgive Dan here,” Matt smiled at him as he pulled Dan back to his side, “She usually doesn’t have your balls until you’re on the court.” Dan gave him an unamused sneer before throwing her arms around his waist. 

“Why are we avoiding the obvious here?” Allison said suddenly. She looked the most out of place, with her legs crossed primly like her orange gear wasn’t soaked in sweat. If Neil hadn’t known better, he’d question her position as defensive dealer in such a violent sport. But some of the strongest people he knew were women. 

“I didn’t even know arranged marriages were still a thing,” She snorted.

“Me neither,” Neil threw back. Everyone’s eyes turned to him, burning with questions. 

“Yes, we’re married,” Neil spat, not without some difficulty. Aaron’s eyes widened before he threw a curious glance at his brother. Neil felt defensive over the increasingly heavy stares. “Any problems?” he challenged. Matt and Dan looked at each other. Allison smiled haughtily from beside the hazy-eyed Kevin. Renee smiled at him encouragingly from where she was sitting quietly. Nicky burst out into hysterical laughter and then abruptly stopped when he noticed that no one was following. 

“Shit, Andrew,” he cleared his throat. “I thought you were joking.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I wanted to clear out a few things- Neil doesn't know much about the foxes beforehand because Andrew makes sure to keep them out of spotlight. There is indeed little information about them outside of their games and matches (in which they are increasingly becoming noticed) and that's why Neil, although aware of all their names including Aaron's, was aware that Andrew had a brother but wasn't aware that he was his twin. 
> 
>  
> 
> Next chapter: Late-night practice with Kevin (Andrew's there, duh), a small fact about his husband revealed to Neil and a confrontation that happens as the day comes to an end and rooms are under discussion ...


	5. The Other Mr. Minyard

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello, lovely people!!
> 
> I'm sorry I updated a bit later than I wanted. I want to be able to update in less than a week's time, but it hasn't worked so far. I end up updating in exactly 1 week or a bit more (like now). But I hope I can make up for it with a long chapter. This chapter is honestly the longest I've ever done- it's almost like two chapters! 
> 
> Thank you so much for the kudos and comments (every single one of them)<3<3 I read all of my comments even if I don't reply to all. I adore them all and genuinely take notice if there are suggestions. 
> 
> *** **All credit to the incredibly talented, Nora Sakavic.** ***

Neil had only ever known Kevin Day from a good distance. However close the Wesninski circle was to the Moriyamas, not much thought was given to the kids’ relations. There were more than a few occasions where he and Kevin could’ve talked, maybe ended up friends since both were usually part of the ‘family gatherings’. Of course only few of these gatherings are ever casual dinners; in most cases, they are a pretense for meetings, the kind that sometimes earns the butcher a commission. Such days always start with a good bit amount of people at one grand house, drinking and laughing like good friends. As dusk falls, wives and daughters commence moving to their customary assigned part of the house (the living room), glass of expensive wine in hand and gazes turned away. There was some unspoken rule based off ridiculously backward notions that the women turn a blind eye to the men. “Buy the bitch more pearls.” Neil had once heard one of the men snort around a square glass, earning an answering chuckle from the other men, including the husband who’d raised concern about his wife prying. 

Sons were invited to the den with their fathers too, unfortunately for Neil. Most engage in the conversations, some try to blend in through the walls- like Neil, but almost all were expected to learn, to later take over their fathers’ legacies. Whiskey is passed around, cigars lit up. Neil remembers those moments like a haze, something out of a nightmare. He also remembers Kevin meeting his gaze once in a while, green eyes shining through the air filled with smoke and malice and gruff voices. He remembers that this silent comradery sometimes helped ease his panic and deal with the dark turns of conversations.

But no one, least of all Kevin, could help him when these gatherings transpire not in a house but in eerie warehouses, where acts prevail instead of words and agreements- when blood spills and seeps into the earth below, when the red is too dark against the cements, when it spreads into little cracks and fissures on the floor, dying out and thinning like the life that was on edge just few seconds ago in the eyes of a living person, right in front of him…

“Hold your head up,” His father would growl at him and Neil would look up, pinpricks burning behind his eyes as he tries to force tears down. He’d be one of the few sons who’d flinched- not even Kevin reacts, standing stoically beside his father. 

“Are you okay?” Kevin’s voice pierced through his thoughts, reeling him back to present. Neil looked up and cleared his throat, “Yeah.” He hoped his cracking voice didn’t give him away. 

Kevin had suggested they head to court, claiming that he wanted to see what he got to work with. “I haven’t played since my little leagues games years ago,” Neil had thrown out and Aaron had given a humorless chuckle, “We’re fucked.” But Kevin had only led Neil to the court silently and then he’d left to grab him some equipment. 

Most of the foxes were gone now and only Andrew, Nicky and Aaron had stayed, the latter two joining Neil on the court, looking every bit tired while Andrew slumped down on one of the inner court seats. Neil felt himself grow nervous. He knew he wasn’t worthy of playing beside someone as skilled as Kevin Day. The thought of butchering the sport he loved next to an Exy champion was haunting to say the least, and doing so in front of the team members left his cheeks flaming. His eyes caught on Andrew, who was lying down on his back, gazing up at the ceiling. At least those set of eyes wouldn’t be on him. 

 

Kevin offered Neil a new, unopened set of Exy gear, bright orange and stark against the clean white walls of the stadium. It effectively cut Neil’s gaze away from Anderw. Neil took it before trotting to the changing rooms. 

By the time he made it back, the three had already started. He approached uneasily. If all those hours of training hadn’t tired them enough that they would be willing to go for another round, how was Neil ever going to catch up? _It’s gonna be a long night,_ he thought to himself. 

And boy was it…

Neil turned out to be as rusty as he’d feared and Kevin was unrelenting, more passionate than he could’ve expected. The other boy shouted at each wrong move, leaving no room to breathe, unforgiving and loud each time. Even Nicky and Aaron weren’t safe from accusations. Neil had gained somewhat of a footing half-way through and looked up in search of any type of acknowledgment only for those green eyes to flash in annoyance, indicating it wasn’t satisfactory. He’d be glared at as he took force all too weakly, as he slowed down out of fatigue, as he lowered his racquet or even took of his eyes off the ball long enough.

And it seems Kevin grew even more irritative after, in the middle of the game, Andrew had walked out on to court, strolling towards Kevin like it was an empty field. He’d earned a wary look from Nicky and a frustrated growl from Aaron, but aside from that, no one questioned his actions or spoke out. Neil only watched curiously as Kevin sighed like he knew where this was going.

“Give them to me.” Andrew stretched his hands out. Kevin’s visibly tensed.

“Andrew-” he started, only to be cut off with a more insistent: “Give them to me.” Kevin considered this for a second. “But you said-"

“I know what I said. It doesn’t fucking matter.” Threat leaked through ever word from Andrew, but Neil couldn’t help notice that there was a bit of tiredness and vulnerability in it as well. The curiosity ate at him throughout the rest of the game. He’d seen Kevin reach into his pockets and offer something to Andrew, but he hadn’t been able to see what it was from his position behind Kevin. 

~ ~

“Well, you’re even worse than I imagined,” Aaron remarked once Kevin declared the game over. Neil didn’t feel any surprise at the words. He knew how much he’d have to work to catch up. He’d expected it.

“I’ll get better,” he said simply. And he would; Exy was all he had, all he ever wanted. He _will_ get better. Nicky smiled at him encouragingly. “You’re not all that bad, Neil.” Brown eyes scowled down at Aaron who’d slumped down on the floor with a groan.

“You’re fast, we could use that.” A flash of white teeth, mesmerizing against his darker skin tone. “God knows I need that in be-”

“Ugh!” Aaron cringed, “Please don’t finish that.”

“Yeah, please don’t, Nicky” Andrew suddenly appeared amongst them, smiling like a cheshire at Nicky. It was the same look Neil had seen during their first few meetings. It was as friendly as a lion playing with a mouse, a paw over its tail. Nicky squeaked at his cousin’s sudden appearance and whatever he saw made him quickly retreat away from Neil. Neil stared at Andrew, marveling at the quick turn of behavior. Just in the lounge, Andrew had been as withdrawn as an empty shell and now here he was looking more threatening than his size could ever manage. There could only be one explanation, and the gears in Neil’s head turned as he put it together. 

“Andrew,” Nicky chuckled nervously, “I was just talking to Neil here.” 

“You were, and now I want you to not.” Silence followed. Hazel eyes turned to Neil.

“I’ve only ever seen Kevin so in love with Exy.” He considered Neil for a second and then slowly reached out to take the racquet from Neil, prying his fingers off the wood. Once he took hold of it, he turned it in his hands as if weighing it, brows furrowed as if in thought.

“I’d imagine you hump your racquet too.” He smiled, and thrust his hips in demonstration of said accusation. Neil felt his face flush. Aaron shook his head at his brother from his spot on the floor.

“Well,” Neil said slowly. He reached to snatch the racquet back and held it in his hands, eyes purposefully flicking back and forth between it and Andrew. “At least it’s taller than you.” He tilted his head, meeting the answering burning gaze head-on. Aaron snorted, a laughter held back purely out of dislike for Neil. He then rolled his eyes at them as if to redeem himself and heaved off the floor before walking away. But Nicky didn’t have his cousin’s stubborn resolve; he huffed out a laugh. Andrew threw him a calm look, brimming with threat. 

Nicky’s laughter died off and he eyed Aaron’s retreating figure. “I’m gonna go shower.” He threw a small smile Neil’s way before hurrying off. 

Neil returned the smile, feeling genuinely grateful to Nicky. Of all the people he’d met thus far, this tall boy had been warm and open. Neil considered for a second how difficult it must have been for the boy, trying to fill _nice_ in the dark holes his cousins leave. 

“You think you’re so special, huh?” Andrew chuckled, eyes glinting in the harsh lights of the stadium. He moved closer. Neil’s stomach turned. He held his breath as the hazel eyes stopped only inches from his own face. Fingers reached to grasp his collar roughly and Neil suddenly felt the urge to turn his head, to look for one of the members. But that would be a show of weakness. Besides, why would they come to _his_ aid?

Neil leveled Andrew with a calm look. “What do you take those pills for?” he whispered. 

The fingers around Neil’s collar loosened a bit and yet no sign of surprise was apparent on Andrew’s face. Instead, he considered him with a bored look, lips curling in a slight way that seemed of amusement. Only, Neil knew better than to assume so. 

“I suppose it’s the same thing the alcohol’s for-” trailed off Neil. The fingers tightened immediately. 

“You have a death wish.” Andrew’s lips curled in a feral expression before he shoved Neil, sending him sprawling on the floor. Pain laced with fury as he landed on his elbow, but he shoved off the ground- with every intent of retaliating. Before he could take a single step towards the other boy, though, his eyes caught on a glint off a metal’s edge. Andrew had somehow produced a knife. That’s when it hit him that on the other end of the weapon is a man controlling many bottom-rung criminals, and worse yet, a criminal himself. He stopped short of his advance.

“Am I interrupting something?” Wymack’s deep voice saved him. Andrew barely glanced back at him, intent, instead, on twirling his sharp knife and flipping it- all awfully close to the skills of someone Neil knew. It unnerved him more than he wanted to let on. 

“Well, I’m truly sorry if I did…” Wymack trailed off, fixing Neil with a wide-eyed look that suggested that he was, indeed, _not_ sorry and relayed that Neil should step away. Neil did just that. Andrew’s eyes flicked to him immediately, but Coach didn’t give him a chance to react, striding towards the boy with large steps and laying a calming hand on his shoulders. 

“You’ve been drinking,” he said, “So no driving tonight. I’ve called them and they’re already here.” 

Andrew’s attention shifted, like a child who found a new toy. “Look at you,” He smirked, “I thought you said it doesn’t matter what we did off court?” 

“You _are_ on court,” Wymack suggested, twisting the logics of the statement and putting it literally. “I’m not gonna be out here cleaning blood. I don’t need that mess,” he huffed, “I’ve already got one mess of a team.” He gestured to Neil, who slowly walked over to the older man. “You’re coming with me,” he said to him and then fixed Andrew with a warning gaze. Neil noticed with surprise that the knife was safely tucked away out of sight, so quick that he hadn’t noticed. “Get your ass out, Minyard. That car out there is bringing unwanted attention to my field.” 

And with that, Wymack calmly led Neil away and out of the fox quarters. Neil eyed the locker room on the way out, feeling desperate for a shower but still glad enough that he was leaving- God knows he might have been beaten to pulp, all because of his unfiltered mouth. He considered asking Wymack where he’d be able to shower, or even sleep for that matter, but he kept silent, feeling too exhausted and wrung out- maybe even a bit scared of what the answer might be.

Neil understood immediately what the coach was talking about as they stepped out of the heavily air-conditioned stadium and into the cool night air. Two men were leaning against a big, black SUV. They were dressing casually but their stance too rigid and their eyes too searching. Given their unsuccessful attempt at blending in and the huge car that looked armored, it was no surprise that some passers-by (most of whom are college students) were lingering around, footsteps faltering. 

Wymack’s car, by contrast, wasn’t raising any eyebrows. It was a simple, sleek vehicle that was parked close. It wasn’t as fancy as Andrew’s car which was right next to the SUV, but it was still nicer than average. They waited only for a few minutes before Andrew appeared and slipped into the SUV, not bothering to acknowledge his men. One of the bodyguards got in Andrew’s car and the other settled behind the armored vehicle’s wheels. Then they were peeling off, engines purring and sending the lingerers swooning. 

Aaron, Nicky and Kevin appeared right after, piling into the car with Neil. And then they were off to the mansion, Nicky filling in the silence with much-needed chatter. 

~ ~

The foxes are asleep. It was Neil’s first thought as they reached the large house. It was too quiet and the foxes too raucous for it to have been otherwise. Neil couldn’t’ blame them either; he was just as exhausted- although not as much as Kevin and the two cousins beside him who were dozing off. Even the drive through the gates and through the compound before reaching the mansion was too long. 

_Damn this superfluously huge property and damn that blond midget,_ Neil thought to himself.

As the remaining foxes filtered into the house, Wymack led Neil to his house and suggested he shower there. Neil was too tired to refuse. He locked the door, double checked the lock, and then stepped in for a quick scrub. He was to wake up early for practice and the minutes were chiming away loudly.

After stepping out, he eyed the coach, who was lounging on a couch before a large TV, and then strode to the room from earlier to grab his suitcase. The binders, he placed back carefully in the safe and locked away. He would have to trust the man, he had no choice. 

Neil had a rooted distaste for older man, especially men his father’s age, but he still felt a sting of disappointment that Wymack didn’t make him stay and offer him a bed at his house. The feeling more than baffled Neil because it was logical that he was to say in the mansion given that Wymack’s house didn’t have an extra room for him and especially since he was married to the owner. Still, his stomach tightened in unease as he stepped out of the smaller house and followed the short cobblestone trail to the mansion. 

The foyer had high-ceilings that looked eerie in the dark and there was an empty, quiet quality to it that did nothing to settle his nerves. He looked around, feeling lost. But just as he stepped toward the staircase, a finely-dressed maid appeared as if sensing his call of need. 

“Can I help you, sir?” she smiled like it wasn’t dead of night. Her slightly greying hair was fixed up like she was ready for a stroll outside. 

“Um…” 

“Are you Mr. Minyard?” She asked, words thick with accent. Neil would say European, maybe Russian. She grabbed his arm before he could answer. Neil stuttered to correct her as he stumbled alongside her, “I’m not-” 

“I know,” she said mater-of-factly, “You’re the _other_ Mr. Minyard.” 

Well, technically, Neil had kept his last name, but he didn’t correct her. He was still reeling from the fact that everybody in this house would know him as the maniac’s husband. Also, her quick, light steps were making it hard for Neil to catch up on the stairs, in the dark. 

“Here you are,” she stopped by one of the many doors in a lit hallway. She straightened up as if she was itching to brush lint off him or just about ready to prim him. Now that there was some light, Neil was able to place her features and notice when her eyes gave him a once over.

She frowned slightly at the sight of his clothes but then brightened up to give him a coy smile, “Have a goodnight, sir.” 

And with that, she flitted away as quick as she’d first appeared. Neil frowned after her, not at all amused by her insinuation. 

~ ~

Andrew was waiting for him inside of course. And Neil smothered down his growing unease. He had expected nothing less. In fact, given the horrible things he’d mind had conjured up those three years of apprehension, this was mundane and acceptable. 

Andrew watched him calmly. He was standing by the wide balcony doors as if he had just been looking outside. Although, Neil couldn’t imagine what there was to see at this time. When he saw Neil, he drew back the curtain. 

“You’re in my room,” Andrew raised his eyebrows. Neil didn’t think it necessary to elaborate on the obvious reason so he kept quiet. How fun it must be for him, drawing it out for amusement. 

Andrew stepped closer and Neil braced himself with each step that brought the blond closer to him. Till suddenly, Andrew was standing so close that Neil could make out the exact shade of his brown eyes and feel the warm breath graze his skin as he spoke. Neil’s breath shortened with panic, expectation, confusion and all sorts of things that emptied his brain as much as they overcrowded it. He clenched his fist, gave one last look at the slightly parted lips just before him, and closed his eyes. He could do this. He was prepared; he’d imagined this for a long time. It was the first thing that came to mind soon after his fate had been sealed. Neil had only ever kissed two people in his life- two girls. He hadn’t felt anything but a touch of skin, and then panic when his mother found him the second time. 

Even now he heard her voice, harsh with anger and betrayal as it rung through his ears- _Don’t trust them._

_Stay far._

_Don’t look back, don’t ever look back._

Neil swallowed back the thoughts. He waited. The silence felt too loud. _You can do it_ , he thought to himself, _it might even be better this time._

“Get out.” Two words punctuated the quiet air in the spacious room; it felt out of place and ugly. Neil opened his eyes. It felt even more unpleasant when Andrew’s blank face broke for a millisecond with something that felt too much like amusement. 

“What?”

“Your bedroom is the next one. Should’ve mentioned it to Nadia.” A vicious smile, “Although, maybe you should share Kevin’s room. Think of it as a honeymoon gift. I know you have a bit of a thing for him.”

Neil’s blood turned cold. He could feel thoughts rushing through his head and clanking against each other, accusing him of such dumb expectations and blind trust. He knew he shouldn’t have trusted Wymack. He knew and yet…

“Your little diary was much fun,” Andrew continued, “I must say, it’s such devotion.” Neil suddenly thought of the many hours spent dwelling on Kevin Day’s success, saving pictures and articles of him. It was a mistake making that binder. And now, not only does Andrew know one of the darkest depths of his thoughts, but also the darkest moments enclosed through passports and IDs- a life of lies; souvenirs of a life as a runaway and reminders of his current imprisonment. It was all too much. Neil felt naked, exposed and hung dry. 

Neil mustered every ounce of distaste in his body as he leaned forward and spat, “Fuck you.” 

Andrew looked back at him calmly, “You didn’t expect me to let the butcher’s son in my house unsearched, did you?” 

But Neil was already storming towards the door, not looking back as he slammed the door and left a chuckling menace in his wake. The next few moments were a blur under barely-contained anger. Neil only remembers gladness at his own room, relief at the sight of a clean bed, fumbling while changing into appropriate clothes, and then a little poke under all the annoyance and fury that resembled too much of a sting of rejection.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So there's Neil with his unfiltered mouth and Andrew being a jerk. Hope you guys enjoyed! I try to be true to the original characterization, but it's a fan fiction. There are large changes, even though there are some parallels to the original story. Andrew's backstory here, for example, is of the same nature but with significant difference. There could be more of Nadia, especially if she turns out to be **Russian** *wink wink* see where I'm going with that? Also, you'll see more of Erik (you won't expect the part he plays. Hint: he was in this chapter. Bonus points if you can guess)
> 
> Hope you enjoyed! Leave kudos if you like it so far. Leave comments below, let me know what to work on. **I'd love to hear what you guys thought!!**


	6. The Talk

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> OMG I haven't updated for so long!!! This isn't at all how I planned to go about this story, I'm so sorry :( These past few weeks have been crazy for me. I started College, I started a new book blog and I've been applying for several jobs. I have time this weekend so I will update the next chapter by Sunday. Love you guys <3

Andrew hated this room. Each time his eyes strayed to the large leather chair behind the mahogany desk, unwanted images of his mother would be conjured. He’d see the scowl on her face, lips pursed tight, eyes cold and hard. She’d be propped on her chair with her chin raised defiantly. As one of the very few women with such power, she needed to prove herself worthy, needed to earn the respect of her peers- her fellow criminals and murderers. Andrew always knew that the matter of respect could mean life or death in their world, and yet a terrible feeling used to claw at his insides every time he would see her on edge like that. Because, somehow, she’d appear even colder than she already was, cruel and calculating- worse in every way. And if things ever went wrong for her in this room, everybody else would take the brunt of it all. 

A bitter feeling rose at the back of his throat at the thought and he quickly raised the bottle in his hand to take a swig. As the alcohol burned down, he imagined it burn down all his thoughts along with it. He imagined it burn and sizzle to his core, imagined it melt every piece of his being and scorch his very essence. 

Yes Andrew hated this room, but it was his job now to settle behind that very desk and it was his job to uphold his family name, to bear the judgment from the other side. He stood stiffly by the curtained window and followed the intricate designs on the rich fabric with unseeing eyes as he waited for his mind to retreat to that very familiar cavern of his conscious where he could remain untouched. When he turned back to look at the desk a few minutes later, he only saw unfathomably expensive furniture. He saw nothing else, so he walked over unconcernedly and eased onto the chair, nursing his glass of newly-stolen alcohol. 

Not a minute later, he heard a polite knock on the door before Eric walked in.

 

“Good morning, sir,” he said, not bothering to wait for Andrew’s response before he dropped a bunch of files on the table between them. 

“The patrols have been going on as you’ve said. There are yet to be any unusual sightings reported.” 

Andrew regarded the files in front of him before grabbing the nearest and flipping it open. 

“That’s the information I have on all the new students at the school this year.” Eric explained as Andrew eyed the pictures and reports stacked neatly in between the folder. He sifted through the pages for a few minutes, features not betraying a single twitch of reaction. He then fixed the older man with slack eyes before pointing at the other folders with a flick of his chin “What are the others?” 

“The rest is on new faculty members.” 

“Find anything?”

“There are a few with questionable backgrounds.” He pushed one of the folders towards Andrew. “We’re tracking them, but nothing suspicious so far.”

Andrew considered the pictures carefully while Eric stood by patiently. There was about a dozen of them, mostly students but also a janitor and few faculty. Once Andrew was sure he didn’t recognize any of them he slammed it closed and reclined back on his chair dully. 

“I don’t recognize any of them. Just watch them for a few days and update me.”

“Yes, sir” Eric gathered up the files. He turned, about to leave, but then he turned back around abruptly, brows furrowed in contemplation. Andrew watched him calmly and Eric swallowed his unease before clearing his throat.

“If you don’t mind me asking, sir,” he started. “Don’t you think things have been too calm? We’ve always done the basic protocol and things have been tame, but with this umm…” an awkward stuttering. “...marriage agreement and all, shouldn’t there have been a catch?”

Andrew only shrugged at him. The older man considered dropping it for a second but curiosity won over his usual deference.

“I mean surely they don’t mean to send a Wesninski alone. They would at least be tracking him if so.” he was rambling now, brain racing to make sense of the turns of these past two weeks. Andrew Minyard married? To a Moriyama lackey no less...

“Maybe he’s dangerous enough all on his own.” Eric wondered out loud.

“That, he is.” Andrew answered without a trace of a doubt. To Eric’s surprise, a barely perceptible twitch passed over the blond’s jaw. Not many others would notice, but Eric was observant and he’d learned quite a few things during the few years of his service here. It was an almost-smirk. 

 

The older man frowned in concern. He and some of the other men had gone though the boy’s belongings carefully after Andrew’s initial inspection. They’d found no trace of weapons. Of course there was the evidence of multiple personalities that Eric mistrusted, but there was no direct promise of threat. 

“Do you think he plans to do something?” Eric asked.

“Why don’t I ask?” Andrew tilted his head. “Call him up here.”

Of course Eric understood just what the blond was thinking. This wouldn’t be the first time. In fact, he was surprised it took this long. 

 

~ ~

 

The sun was setting outside when Kevin finally relented and let the foxes off practice. He probably only showed mercy because they were at the mansion’s practice court and were practicing off official training time. Nonetheless, everybody groaned and winced as they shoved past their “merciful” teammate with barely-contained malevolence. The tall, green-eyed boy scowled at them and no doubt inwardly cursed them for their weak spirits and undedicated efforts. 

Neil, on the other hand, stood back and ignored the attempts at small talk. It didn’t have much to do with his mistrust for the foxes as it had to do with a deep need to talk to Kevin. Unlike the others, he knew where Neil came from. They’ve both been there. And that had to count for something right? Neil wasn’t sure exactly what he wanted from Day, but he had a feeling that it has something to do with an ache for something and someone to relate to. 

 

“Kevin,” he called as he approached the taller boy once the others trickled out. Kevin looked over at him and Neil resisted the urge to stare at the chess piece tattooed over his cheekbone. The memory of the bold number one that previously occupied the same space made him swallow uneasily.

“I need to talk to you.” 

Kevin’s brows furrowed. His green eyes flicked over Neil’s short figure, still clad in sweaty Exy gear. Something like resignation passed over Kevin’s sweat-slicked face before he nodded slightly. “After we shower.”

Gratitude warmed Neil’s already-over-heated body. It wasn’t lost on him that Kevin didn’t want any reminders of his past life. He had Exy now, without all the fierce cut-throat competition and spite that accompanied the Ravens. He was far out of the clutches of his family (well, further than he used to be, that is). Neil couldn’t really blame the guy for avoiding his attempts at conversation for the past few weeks. Still, a talk was due. Neil needed answers. 

“Okay.”

 

As Neil made his way to the showers, he was once again thankful for the privacy that was most uncommon for Sports quarters. He considered forgiving the coach, not for the first time since he found out that his belongings had been searched inside out. He knew Wymack took extra measures to ensure the comfort of this ungrateful, problematic group of misfits. It meant more to Neil than the grumpy old man could ever imagine. Just the idea of his scarred, beaten body on display for all to see would have been more than enough for him to resist bathing till his very skin would be flayed off with the weight of packed dirt. 

Under the torrent of warm water, surrounded by a fog of comforting clean steam rising from the tiles around him, he felt almost content with the knowledge that he would be allowed this small luxury despite his father’s reputation and despite his lack of worth made obvious by the careless arrangement. As prestigious as the Moriyama and Wesninski family name was, they had only tossed him to the curb without protection, without backup. It wouldn’t be long till Minyard found out that Neil was a disposable, that he didn’t really have protection from one the most feared criminal empires. He already saw his bag of fake identities; he will soon find out that the son of Nathan Wesninski had ran away and instantly lost all respect and protection his family name would have entitled him to. _Then_ how would he be treated? 

 

Kevin was waiting for him when he went back to the field freshly dressed and body aching satisfyingly. He was slumped on one of the inner benches, looking every bit tired as all of the other foxes had been. Kevin only ever showed exhaustion after- never during- their games or practices. Neil snorted at the sight of him subtly rubbing his sore knees. _Stubborn son-of-a-bitch._

“Let’s walk,” Kevin suggested in the same curt manner he frequents on court. Neil would’ve argued out of pure spite if it weren’t impossible to talk in the presence of the raucous foxes who’d appear from the showers any minute.

Now that they were to address the obvious, the tension lightened between them as they walked out into the fading light. They ended up following a vague path towards the back of the looming main house, where the trees were distinctly larger. Right by the tree line, Kevin entered a canopied nook that resembled a small piece of the park one of Neil’s many nannies used to take him to. 

“Do they contact you?” Neil blurted out before he even settled to sit by the other boy on the stone bench. 

“Sometimes. Maybe once in two months.” Kevin sighed. “They ask me about the team’s progress and they always want to know what little information I have on Andrew.” He said it without looking Neil in the eyes, like he didn’t want to acknowledge his actions. Wasn’t he here for this sole reason in the first place? What could possibly make him feel guilty about following orders?

Neil frowned. “What do you tell them?” What he meant to say was: _What don’t you tell them?_ Because Neil wasn’t dumb enough to think that Kevin would follow orders blindly. He knew that this place was a free ticket to Exy without the complications of evil teammates and vengeful family members as far as Kevin was concerned. The boy had to be playing a hand on this game to his own end. 

Kevin didn’t answer. He fixed a lingering gaze on Neil and turned away with a carefully blank face. That’s when Neil knew that he was right. He _hadn’t_ imagined that defiant streak in those green eyes that mirrored his own during all those times, but the other boy didn’t trust him enough to divulge his plans. Neil considered telling Kevin that he’d do anything to escape them too; he considered even asking for help, but then dropped the thought. He didn’t exactly trust Kevin either. For all he knew, he might be playing both teams and Neil knew he couldn’t risk appearing anything but loyal, considering his recent mishaps. 

 

“What exactly do they want from me, Kevin?” Neil hated the desperate way those words escaped.  
Kevin glanced back up, nose scrunched up with thought. Most probably weighing his options. He must have taken pity for Neil because he sighed and ran a hand over his dark hair. 

“They’re using you as a backup. In case they ever suspect the Minyards, they’ll be able to cut their concerns short through you.”

“Through me?” Neil swallowed. “Like through orders to kill?”

“No.” Another frustrated sigh. “Shit. I don’t know okay, Neil?” 

Neil thought of Nicky’s cheerful chatter, Aaron’s sullen face, Renee’s quiet and kind face; Matt, Dan, Allison ...even the maniacal Andrew. Would he ever be able to hurt any of them? 

“They want control,” Kevin continued unexpectedly, “They have their people behind all other potential rivals. Even government-run offices, especially police forces. I think they could’ve easily assigned someone to infiltrate this particular empire, but…” Neil ignored the uneasy look he cast his way, already expecting the next few words.

“But this way, they’d be punishing you and securing probably the highest position of infiltration in one of the newly-spotted conquests.”

It stung to hear it out loud; to hear confirmation that he’d been cast off like unwanted trash, like he didn’t share the same blood as his own father. Neil might’ve hated his home with every cell in his body, but it doesn’t mean he was immune to the familiar pain of unworthiness and desolation.

“Do you think Andrew’s a threat?”

“I don’t know.”

“But he suspects us right? He couldn’t possibly assume this arrangement comes without strings attached.”

“Of course he does.” Kevin rolled his eyes. “Andrew doesn’t trust anyone. Not even his brother.”

Neil tried to process that as his brain swarmed with more questions and more complexities. He landed on one particular question that has been eating at his mind. One he’d been asking himself everyday since the arrangement. 

“Would you ever go back?” He was sure Kevin knew precisely what he was asking. Would he go back after this mission ends someday? Could he face the monsters that wait at home or would he be willing to linger in this unknown territory where he can't trust and can’t be trusted? 

Where was home? 

Kevin winced like he'd just swallowed a hot piece of coal and when he groggily declared, “I think it’s enough talk for today”, it truly _did_ sound like he just had. And that was all the answer Neil needed. 

Home is anywhere their families aren’t. 

 

“Mr. Wesninski.” 

Neil abruptly turned to face an older man standing just by the entrance. His heart beat frantically. _What did you expect? Your father? Fucking calm down_ , he seethed at himself. 

The man observed him calmly like Neil hadn’t just been about to jump 5 feet from his seat. He was tall, with blue eyes and jet-black hair, but somewhat unique features that Neil couldn’t quite place. He was sure he was one of those guys that pulled up in the SUV to pick Andrew up the day he almost lost his life to a crazy bastard. 

“It’s Neil,” He corrected, eyes narrowed suspiciously. 

“Sorry, sir.” 

_German_ , Neil thought to himself. It would’ve been lost to anyone else, but Neil had lived in Germany while on the run and had learned to speak the language fluently. He could place the rough, pronounced lilt even in light accents.

“Andrew would like to speak to you.”

Neil glanced at Kevin uneasily, but Kevin was watching the older man carefully.

“Eric, am I gonna need to call the others?”

Eric nodded and Neil grew even more suspicious. Kevin turned to Neil, sensing his unease. 

“Just go, Neil” He rose up from his seat and brushed past Eric, only throwing a, “See you later” before slipping out. 

 

A tense beat of silence followed as Eric stared at Neil expectantly. 

“I have to go.” Neil cleared his throat. “I have somewhere important to be.” _In my bed, under my covers._

Eric frowned at him like he was incompetent. “Andrew wants to see you,” he emphasized. “Please follow me, Neil.” And then he simply turned around and headed out. In the few seconds before he fell in step next to Eric, Neil hesitated only for a bit before deciding that Andrew gets what Andrew wants and he shouldn’t risk his life to question it. Not _now_ , that is.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next: Columbia, club ...
> 
> Leave kudos if you're enjoying it so far! Please don't hesitate to leave comments. Let me know your thoughts :)


	7. The Night out

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yay! I said I'd update by Sunday and here we are. I'm actually proud of myself. I did it, and I even made it longer than usual. Thank you guys for the kudos and the comments :) I hope you guys stay till the end. 
> 
>  
> 
> ****** Enjoy <3 **** **

Things with Andrew had been pretty tame the past few weeks. There had been minimal interaction between them. The only time they were in the same place together was during those few late-night practices with Kevin. Neil never really figured out why Andrew would come along when he’d only slump on the seats and dully stare at them practice. But he never questioned it, content that during these times, Andrew wore his apathetic attitude. Neil would be lying to himself, though, if he said he was really _content_ with it. No, he was frankly uneasy. He might not exactly miss the vicious glint in medicated-Andrew’s eyes, but he felt an inexplicable sense of wrongness whenever he saw the blond’s blank face, devoid of all feeling, hazel eyes leeching out life from the inside. It was chilling, in a sense, that nothing could coax his empty husk of a being into feeling. 

And then there were the odd occurrences in the middle of the night- nights when Neil would stare at the dark corners of his room, eyes red with the promise of sleep that wouldn’t come; imagining that his father’s hulking figure would materialize out of the shadows; imagining that anytime soon the room would haze with cigar smoke and chatter of violence. He would be in this state when he’d sometimes hear the scrape of sliding doors in the next room through the thin walls. 

After the first few nights, he began to decipher the sound as the slide of balcony doors before Andrew would slip out onto the balcony. Neil would imagine the other boy drinking, staring into an endless stretch of dark below him, he’d imagine the hazel eyes glinting with the light of stars in a cloudless sky. Neil would imagine that, for once, his eyes would come alive; not at the promise of violence and malice but of simple wonder. And during the stretch of silence that follows, Neil would feel as though he knew a secret. Most importantly, he would stop feeling alone under the weight of the jostling nightmare that woke him or the fear that deep sleep would pull him into one. 

Unknowingly, he had began to seek the comfort from that one-sided company every night when his past would haunt him. It was a strange thing that he’d come to depend on Andrew of all people, and through his unbeknownst presence nonetheless. 

Now looking at Andrew behind the desk, a small figure almost swallowed up by the large leather chair, Neil wondered if he hears him dry sobbing out of panic those nights when he’d wake, could he hear him wheezing for breath around his closed up throat? Did Andrew know he wasn’t alone when he stood outside, doing whatever he does on the balcony?

“We’re going somewhere tonight,” Andrew looked up at him calmly. “You’re coming with us.”

“Am I?” Neil raised his brows. 

Andrew went on as if he hadn’t spoken. “You’re not wearing that.” 

“Excuse me.” He had to admit that his usual attire of faded jeans and oversized shirts wasn’t much presentable, but his questionable taste served its own purpose and he didn’t appreciate any commentary on it. 

“They won’t let you in looking that.” Andrew glanced at a particularly worn out patch on his jeans over his knees. The material had faded so much that it had started going white here and there. “Nicky’s getting you something to wear.” 

Neil felt his face burning. He despised the fact that his family was well off, because he knew where that money came from and he hadn’t indulged in the materialistic life he could’ve afforded for that reason alone. Still, he won’t have people thinking he’s a charity case. 

“I have money,” he gritted out. 

“I know.” Andrew leaned onto the desk. “You’ve got an impressive stack in your little bag.”

He meant it sarcastically of course. Neil only had a couple of 100 dollar bills, money he saved up every time he’d been instructed to buy himself clothes or food. There was a time when there had been millions in that bag, back when Neil and his mother had managed to steal it and escape, back before he was caught. 

Neil swallowed uneasily. The topic was straying too far to the very topic he wanted to avoid. 

“Where are you taking me?” He hoped Andrew didn’t notice the obvious attempt at steering clear of the previous subject. He knew the other boy was calculating, too observant. But if Andrew noticed anything, he didn’t say. 

“Not a barren wasteland where I’ll kill you, if that’s what you’re afraid of.”

“I’m not afraid of you.” The words came out only as a response to the blond’s patronizing, but Neil was surprised to find that they were true. Andrew maybe unstable and unpredictable and more than capable of murder, but Neil has been around death all his life. He wasn’t afraid of death; he knew there were much worse things- things in which Andrew has neither the interest nor the will to do. Riko, Lola...his father, on the otherhand,…

Something flickered over the blond’s face, like a slip of shadow seconds before daylight. It was almost like amusement. “That’s what makes you dangerous.” Brownish-green eyes searched his face, and Neil stared back, baffled. The thought that there were hidden colors in the depths of those expressionless eyes trickled in the back of his mind like a memory long-forgotten. He wanted to know their secret. But before Neil could process these thoughts, the door behind him opened. 

He whirled back, almost guiltily, to see Nicky follow EriK into the room. There was an indiscernible expression on Nicky’s face that was nothing like the tall boy’s usual cheeriness. It was almost like nervous unease. 

“Oh, hello Neil!” a brilliant smile spread white over his smooth, tan face. And he seemed almost grateful for distraction from whatever thoughts he’d been having. He bounded up to Neil and thrust a bundle of clothes on his arms. 

Neil wrinkled his nose at the all-black bundle and Nicky crooned at him. “Aww, such a cutie.” He tapped Neil’s nose as he threw an arm around his shoulders. Neil smacked his hand away irritably, mortified to be called such a thing. And maybe annoyed by the distinctly obvious contrast in size. He pushed the lanky boy that was draped over his side, only to find that Nicky’s skinny limbs were deceptive. The boy was heavy. Fuck. 

Nicky pouted at him and pushed him closer to his side like a particularly difficult, flailing puppy. 

“Why did you marry such a cutie, Andrew?” he glared at the blond. “It makes it particularly difficult for those of us who haven’t been getting action lately. Honestly-” One hand slapped over his mouth, eyes wide with horror. The tips of his ear tinged pink as Andrew raised an eyebrow at his cousin’s flushed state. Neil looked up at the filterless boy as his grip loosened around his shoulders. He knew first hand that this was the least of the many graphic things Nicky has said and yet his voice cracked with humiliation as he laughed nervously. 

“I mean, not me really.” A quick glance at Erik who was watching him, hands formally clasped behind his back. “I meant Kevin and the others. You know -”

“As much as I want to hear about all your sex lives, Nicky,” Andrew sighed. “Shut up.”

Nicky’s lips clamped shut. He silently moved to plop down on one of the couches at the side of the room. 

Eric cleared his throat. “The car’s ready, sir. Aaron and Kevin are on the way. I’ll be waiting by the car.” 

Neil felt uncomfortable that someone close to his age would be referred to as “Sir” by an older man. How awkward. Andrew, on the other hand, couldn’t be less bothered by it. There were few things that bothered Andrew, Neil figured. 

Eric left after that, with Nicky staring after him pitifully. “Well, that was awkward,” Nicky chuckled like he wasn’t the sole reason of that awkwardness. Neil rolled his eyes. 

“Come on, Neil,” he smiled cheerily at him, grabbing his arm to pull him out of the office. “Let’s get you dressed.”

 

~ ~

 

The conversation with Kevin kept replaying in Neil’s head as he pulled on the black clothings that Nicky bought, not registering anything about the clothes besides the fact that they were a bit tighter and more flamboyant than he would’ve liked. His mind wandered back to the fact that this arrangement might be eradicated by simple orders from Kengo, and he didn’t know what to make of the fact that he’d be disappointed if that was the case. Despite his initial distrust and doubt, he’d started to warm towards this new life. For one, Andrew hasn’t once implied wanting sex despite the fact that Neil had basically been handed over to him like a little whore. And of course there was his position as an Exy player and a horde of mostly harmless, albeit dysfunctional team members. There was once a time when he’d prefered death to his father’s presence, so even if he won’t be able to escape completely, not being under the same roof as Nathan should warrant his contentment. If Neil let himself think about it, he’d admit that he wanted to stop pushing away the Foxes; that was mostly why he hadn’t resisted going out tonight. 

“Neil, get your cute butt out here!” shouted Nicky,effectively cutting off his drifting thoughts. 

“Jesus fuck, Nicky!” Aaron whined somewhere on the other side of the closet door. “You haven’t even had one sip of alcohol and you’re hollering like a fucking cow.”

Neil rolled his eyes as he gathered his discarded clothes. Kevin and Aaron had come to Nicky’s room something during his detour to the closet and the cousins have already started bickering. 

“I’m done,” Neil darted out of the narrow room, hoping to cease the argument before it escalates. He dumped his clothes in the corner of the room and turned around to find Nicky smirking at him. 

“Damn Neil, you clean up pretty good.”

“Umm...thanks.” 

“Did you even look at yourself?” Nicky gripped his shoulders and pushed him over to stand in front of the full-length room by the bedside. “I’m a fucking genius. You need to pay me sometime.” A lewd wink followed by a wide grin.

“You gotta be shitting me,” Aaron groaned from where he was lounging on Nicky’s bed. “You’re hitting on _him_?” The words didn’t have to be said aloud in order for Neil to understand. _You’re hitting on Andrew’s husband?_ would've been the question had the marriage not been such a foreign concept that everyone more or less avoided out of discomfort. 

He could’ve said something smart-assed, riled up Aaron more. God knows the condescending bastard deserved it, but his eyes were locked onto his reflection, stomach roiling with such hate that he could only hear the banter through muffled voices. He would’ve appreciated his clean look, the flatteringly tight black jeans and dark short-sleeved shirt if it weren't for his auburn hair and those icy blue eyes…

The urge rose to smash his fist into the image in front of him- so distinctly him and yet so similar to his father, to a monster. 

Bile rose in his throat and he tore his gaze away from the reflection of cold blue eyes to land on a piercing green pair through the mirror. It was Kevin, who had been leaning by the doorway, waiting impatiently. Their eyes locked only for a few seconds but it was enough to relay to Neil that the dark-haired boy understood. Neil swallowed and stepped out of Nicky’s grip, turning his back to the mirror. 

“Let’s just go.”

 

~ ~

 

The four of them didn’t have to wait long before Andrew appeared, Erik by his side. The blond was wearing his usual attire, the only difference being particularly expensive-looking pair of jeans with tasteful rips above the knees (not at all like the slightly questionable cuts on Nicky’s jeans) and a familiar long-sleeved shirt, but tight enough to show slight definition over the torso. 

“Andrew you look good,” Nicky said distractedly, while staring at Erik. “Ahh...and Eric too,” he stammered, fidgeting with the hem of his thin shirt. Neil tore his eyes from Andrew’s expressionless gaze and found himself taken aback with Erik’s chained jeans and sleeveless leather top. He seemed utterly uncomfortable, out of place without his slacks and pressed shirts, but by the looks of Nicky’s wandering gaze to his naked arms, at least someone was enjoying his outfit. 

Aaron rolled his eyes and headed out. The others followed, walking towards the large SUV. Neil’s brows furrowed in confusion. 

“Where are the others?” 

Nicky reluctantly tore his gaze away from Erik’s jean-clad backside and fixed Neil with a smile. “We don’t really mingle with the upperclassmen.”

“But they’re your teammates.” Neil had to admit that he hadn’t been paying attention to the Foxes, too caught up on getting his life together.

“It’s complicated,” Nicky sighed. “Besides, we don’t even like each other.”

Neil frowned but kept his questions to himself. He would mention this topic some other day. For now, he’d try and loosen up. 

 

There was an obscene amount of people lined up to enter Eden’s Twilight, all dressed in black, some clad in leather, fishnets or spikes. Neil found himself wringing his hands in discomfort. He wasn’t a crowd person and by the looks of it, there would be a hell lot of people inside. The six of them, led by Andrew, entered the loud room without a word from neither of the large, looming bouncers. Music blared all around the wide, clustered room. Swirling lights bounced off the walls and painted the writhing crowd on the dance floor. Neil’s ears pounded with the onslaught of heavy bass and his body thrummed unwillingly in tune to the tangible energy in the air - drenched with the sharp smell of sweat and perfume. 

Andrew veered away from the dance floor and made a sharp turn towards a dark hallway that was littered with couples who were making out heavily. Kevin glared at the passionate pairs as they all followed the blond to a narrow staircase at the end of the hallway. There were formally dressed bodyguards stationed at the end of the stairs. They silently opened the door to let them in. 

The music was less deafening here at the raised platform that was nestled at the top of the dance floor and Neil felt himself calm down as he followed the rest to one of the booths. Nicky quickly slid in next to Erik, who was busy on the phone, double-checking protocol with the guards stationed all throughout the club. Neil found himself sitting next to Andrew.

“It’s true then?” a smiling young man approached their table with a tray full of drinks like he’d done this a thousand times before. He eyed Neil but the question was directed at Andrew. The blond ignored him, as would be expected.

“Did you get them, Roland?” Andrew asked and Roland smiled wider, unfazed by his ignorance.

“Of course I did.” He said as he served the drinks in front of Neil. Andrew dropped a wad of cash on the table, which Roland pocketed immediately. 

“No thanks,” Neil protested as Roland pushed a glass towards him. “I’ll have a soda.”

Roland’s brows shot up and his dark eyes looked to Andrew as if seeking direction. 

“You don’t drink?”

Getting intoxicated wasn’t really a good idea when you’re on the run for your life. Even with a clear head, his mother had instilled paranoia in him. They slept with their backs to each other, guns under their pillow. The very idea of losing control in the presence of strangers sickened him. 

“Yeah.” 

“I’ll get you a coke then.” 

Just as Roland retreated, Andrew riffled through the large stack of napkins on the tray and passed around a clutter of small packets around the table, keeping more to himself. 

“You want some?” he offered Neil. Neil looked around the table. Everyone except Erik was tearing open a packet and pouring the content onto their tongues. Now he understood why the cash was too excessive to cover just drinks.

“Come on, Neil,” Nicky goaded. “Don’t be a downer. Loosen up a bit.”

“No thanks.” 

 

~ ~

 

The rest of the night was spent with Kevin downing his drinks, littering the table with empty glasses and complaining for more drinks. Nicky, now intoxicated, had grown more forward in flirting with Erik, who awkwardly smiled back and eyed Andrew like he’d be in trouble anytime soon. Aaron had retreated to the dance floor, only appearing now and then to throw back a few shots and stumble away. Neil kept himself busy, nursing his soda and carrying a tray of empty glasses back to Roland for refills. 

Neil was searching for Aaron in the dancing crowd below when his eyes grew hazy with a swirl of colors and his head swayed dangerously. The music was too close to his ears and he felt a bead of sweat trickling down the back of his neck. He shifted, growing uncomfortable with the sweltering heat but the slightest movement caused him to go lightheaded. He turned to the others to tell them he wasn’t feeling well when he caught a pair of dilated hazel eyes carefully watching him.

“What’s wrong, Neil?” Andrew tilted his head.

“I don’t feel so good.” The sound of his voice was too far away, he could barely hear it. His tongue felt loose, his head swarmed with thoughts and he felt a crushing urge to dispel them; a torrent of words rushed to the tip of his tongue. 

“Here,” Andrew offered him his glass. Neil shook his head and then groaned when the world teetered at the edges of his vision. The blond hummed and downed the content in one go.

“Why is it you don’t drink, Neil?”

Neil’s world narrowed to the small space between them; the bass sent thrills to through his body, in tune with the rush of his blood. He felt he should look away but his eyes were enraptured by the slight green hue circling the hazel eyes before him. 

“I can’t. Too dangerous,” answered a voice from far away and Neli furrowed his brows when he realized it was him. 

“Why is that?”

Neil slowly shook his head, instinctively wanting to stray from this topic of conversation, but his tongue moved almost on its own accord. “We had to stay on our feet, couldn’t take risks like that.”

His mouth was parched, his head had started hurting. He reached for his glass with shaking hands. Then he stopped, staring at the half-gone can of soda. He’d left his soda unattended several times while getting drinks from Roland. 

He whirled on Andrew.“You drugged me?” He wanted to sound as furious as he felt, but his voice betrayed him to the incredulity he felt. Why had he trusted any of them? 

He launched to his feet before anyone could stop him, ignoring the sudden jostle of his head to run as fast as he could. The heat got worse, his back was sticky with sweat, his lungs wheezed for air, his mouth was too dry. He can’t remember how he got down the stairs, but he was now blended in the crowd, warm bodies pushing into him from every direction. The world was moving too slowly and yet too fast. He felt nauseous and dropped on all fours.

The colors were blinding. Neil closed his eyes.

Someone stepped on his hands. He opened his mouth to protest but felt the sudden urge to expel the contents of his stomach when he did. 

He had to escape. He crawled on the floor till he reached the edge of the dance floor. He looked around slowly with a throbbing ache in his head, desperately searching for an exit. He was trying to adjust his eyes to see past just a few feet when found a particularly burly man standing nearby. Neil had a fraction of a mind to reach into his pockets with shaking hands and offer every dollar to the man. 

“Here,” Neil said desperately, barely able to make out the alarmed expression on the man’s face through the rapidly tilting room. He shoved the money on his chest. 

“Punch me.” 

The man shrugged and that was the last thing Neil saw before his world went dark and his head ceased of all colors or thoughts.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you guys enjoyed :) 
> 
> I'll try and update the next chapter either Saturday or Sunday. 
> 
> Tell me if you see any mistakes (since it's not beta'd). **Leave comments down below and let me know your thoughts!** Geez, writing this fic makes me wanna re-read the Foxhole Series so bad!! I think I'm gonna get on that soon :D I miss them all so bad...


	8. The Deal

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello Lovelies,  
> Once again, I would like to thank everyone who ever took time to read this fic and I'd like to thank all those who left kudos and comments. They are my life fuel. I hope you guys enjoy this chapter :)

Neil’s head felt like a log of wood as he tried to lift it up. His eyes were only half-way open, the small light cast by the lamp beside his bed too bothersome. Everything was swaying and tilting and he gripped the sheets under him, barely having time to be grateful for spotting a trash can before he was scrambling off his bed and throwing up into it.

As he wiped his mouth and heaved off the floor with shaky legs, last night’s events came crashing back, leaving him seething. His hands clenched into fists. By the looks of it, he was in his room and it was pretty dark outside, but he didn’t know what time or what day it was. He was back here like none of it had ever happened. If it weren’t for the throbbing in his temples, the flashing memories of lights and over-loud music, he could have believed it was just another day.

To think he’d gotten out of his way to actually let them in, to think he’d trusted them even for a second. He paced his room, fists clenching and unclenching frustratedly. How he wanted to strangle the life out of each of them- own up to their expectations of his character. The thought was too tempting, but he knew anger wouldn’t take him anywhere. He had to think.

He took a calming breath, inhaling through the venom that was clouding his head. _Breathe. Think._

He opened his door and made sure there was no one in the hallway before slipping into the bathroom few doors down the hall. Neil wasn’t sure how many minutes he stood there, brushing his teeth and rinsing his face, eyes cast away from the mirror. But by the time he slipped back into his room, he was confident enough that his face didn’t give away his fury as much as it had few minutes ago. He knew what he wanted to do and he knew that he had to be composed for it. So he dried his face, glad that his mouth didn’t feel like cotton anymore, and slipped back out into the hallway, not giving himself time to hesitate before knocking softly and entering the next door. 

Neil had gone on instinct, half-certain but half-doubtful that Andrew would be in the middle of his nightly routine when he’d open the door. Nonetheless, he was surprised to find the blond leaning on the rails, clad in sweatpants and a long-sleeved black sweater, looking out and not bothering to turn when Neil entered. Neil had been right then. The scraping noises he keeps hearing at night is Andrew walking out into the balcony. The room was dark save for the beam of moonlight filtering through the wide open balcony doors. Neil walked cautiously toward the shorter male. 

“How long have I been out of it?” He asked once he was on the balcony. The feel of the warm breeze on his skin and the sound of swaying trees was a bit calming. 

If Andrew was surprised to see Neil next to him, he didn’t show it. He flicked the cigarettes between two thin fingers. “We arrived sometimes in the morning,” he shrugged. “Or afternoon.”

“Tell me everything I said yesterday.”

His eyebrows quirked at that. “You give me too much credit if you think I remember everything your dull ass said. But I do remember you paid a brute to knock the sense out of you before I could make you spill. Be glad. I didn’t make you talk.”

Relief almost weakened his knees. He suddenly remembered crawling and reaching out into his pocket before a bursting pain in the side of his face and then darkness. He’d managed to get himself out of the mess. He didn’t spill his secrets. Andrew didn’t know how disposable Neil was to his father. His heart lightened with relief. It didn’t mean he wasn’t drugged though.

“Why wouldn’t you remember everything?” Neil tightened his fingers on the rail out of barely-contained anger. “I was the only one who was drugged,” he hissed.

Andrew eyed Neil’s whitening knuckles and sighed like the conversation was getting too boring. “Crackers and alcohol,” he simply said by way of explanation and flicked him a condescending look. 

“Yeah, but you only drank through intervals.” A flicker of something appeared in those hazel eyes before getting clouded over with the familiar look of aloofness. It was only there for a second, but Neil latched onto that glimpse, glad that the blond could show an ounce of interest if not a trace of guilt or remorse. “You know your limit very well; well enough to wait till you’re sure the alcohol won’t go to your head before taking another sip.”

“You would know wouldn’t you, Neil?” Had Andrew been medicated, he’d have that sharp smile. But now, he only watched him blankly before taking a drag. “Having been on the run and all, you always had to watch your back. Can’t risk getting intoxicated.”

Neil gaped at the blond in horror as Andrew leaned in closer to him and blew a puff of smoke in his face. “I guess it’s true that old habits die hard,” he whispered, breath fanning over Neil’s heated face. 

The smell of smoke, musty and stale, brought up memories of his mother. A cigarette between her short, stubby fingers. Smoking more often than not ever since the day they had ran. _Andrew knew_ , Neil thought in his brief phase of panic. He’d failed, he’d let his guard down and now all his mother’s efforts- her cruel words, her vicious grip- it had all been for nothing. 

“You lied,” Neil croaked. “You _did_ make me talk. You lied.”

“No,” Andrew fixed him with a stern look that might have been a glare had he been anything but his blank un-medicated self. “I never lie. Do you think I’m dumb enough not to have figured it out myself? Your father, a Wesninski, offered you without strings; you have several passports and paperwork under different names. I pieced it together.”

It was impossible. Could Minyard have known this all along and not have used it against him? The maniac? It was too preposterous to fathom, and yet, Neil knew that for some reason that he was sincere. Maybe it was the fact that Andrew barely had the will to keep their current conversation going let alone try and manipulate him. Andrew just didn’t care enough. Or perhaps, even deeper than that, Andrew didn’t condone lies for some reason. 

“The way you eye everything cautiously and the way you look like you’re seconds away from sprinting like your ass is on fire. It’s obvious you’re used to running.”

“What do you want from me exactly?”

“I want to make sure you’re not a threat to this house and I want you to steer clear of sharp objects”

That stung. “I might look like him,” Neil’s voice cracked, “but I’m nothing like that monster.”

Andrew turned to stare into his eyes with same blank expression that somehow made Neil’s pulse quicken. He swallowed. “I just...I don’t want any trouble. I just wanna live.” _This house_ , Andrew had said. This family. A group of misfits that somehow found home. Neil had no home, he had nothing. Even his own mother had been more of a crazed paranoid freak than his family. He had nothing, and yet, some simple natural self-preservatory instinct wills him to live. And that’s all he could hope for: to live. To survive. “Please, just let me be.”

Andrew stiffened for a bit before snarling, “Don’t say that word.”

Neil frowned, “What? _Please_?”

“Don’t. Unless you want me to choke the miserable life out of you.” Neil nodded.

“You pissed off your father and now you’re here more or less as a punishment. Which means you don’t really have protection.” Andrew glanced at him. “You think I’ll use that to my advantage. Make you a bed-warmer, a plaything.” It wasn’t a question.

“Why wouldn’t you?” Neil swallowed. 

Andrew suddenly stepped closer, closing the distance between them in two leisurely strides while Neil willed himself not to step back. Once he stood right in front of him, head barely reaching Neil’s shoulder, he thrust one unoccupied hand under the taller boy’s chin and brought him closer as if for inspection. “What makes you so sure that I’m interested?” he asked, hazel eyes roaming his face. “You think I agreed to the offer for a pretty face?” 

Neil didn’t know what to say to that. His pulse quickened and warmth flood his body. The blond might’ve complimented him or insulted him. He wasn’t sure. But the words ‘pretty face’ bounced around his head as if not certain where to settle. 

“Some people would take advantage like that.” Andrew said, lips twisted and eyes far away. Had Neil not been so close, he wouldn’t have noticed. But as it is, he could see the hazel eyes darkening, leeching the black out of the night. “But I’m not one of those people.” The last sentence was whispered as if he was saying it to himself. Neil watched curiously as the expression vanished and the shorter man stepped back before raising the lit cigarette to his lips once again. 

“Why did you take the offer then?” Neil asked, willing his voice to steady.

“Why did I agree to marry a Morriyama snitch, you mean?” Neil’s blood froze over. Of course Minyard would also figure out the pretense of the arrangement. 

“Well, I figured I had nothing to hide from the Morriyamas. You’d snoop around and find nothing,” the blond went on, either oblivious or uncaring of Neil’s frozen state, “and I didn’t want unnecessary rivalry from refusing them. Besides, I have my own reasons to seek such familiarity with one of the most powerful crime families.” 

_Power then_ , Neil thought. He couldn’t blame Andrew. The marital link would guarantee the blond protection and power after sometime. He could use the arrangement as a means to sidle up to the Morriyamas. 

“But daddy blades meant this as a punishment for you, which means there would be no risk for me should I plan to make your life plenty difficult,” Andrew tilted his head as if imagining all the ways he could mess up Neil. “If you want me to ‘let you be’ then you need to tell me everything.” 

It was as good an offer as Neil would ever get so he swallowed down his nausea. “Where do I start?” 

“Tell me when, why and how you ran away.”

“When I was 10, Nathan took me to Castle Evermore for a two-day audition. I didn’t know at that time, but had I failed to prove myself useful to the Ravens, they’d have killed me. I played the first day with Kevin and Riko. Before I could play the second day, my mother took me and ran away.” Neil spoke in rushed sentences. Recounting the past was bringing up unwanted memories. When he looked over at the blond by his side, hoping for it to be enough information, Andrew only gestured for him to go on. 

“We lived in 22 different cities, never using the same airport twice. I had 22 identities so far. We had a few encounters with my father’s people,” Neil winced at the word ‘father’, “but we escaped almost every time. My mother was too careful to make mistakes.” His voice was cracking by this point. It was impossible to speak of the rest without crumbling like the weak nobody he is. He couldn’t bear to let Andrew see. He wrapped his arms around himself, unconsciously trying to keep himself together. 

Neil expected pity, condescension or even the familiar blankness in his brown eyes, but what he saw when he turned to Andrew was utter understanding. Acceptance. No judgment. It made Neil’s heart squeeze uncertainly. He’d never told anyone even half the truth, living all his life in lies. Now that he thought about it, this could be his one chance to share the burden with someone else. He longed to dispel the weight off his shoulders for once, to say the drowning thoughts out loud. It was such an intense craving that he barely registered that Andrew was becoming an anchoring weight for his miserable existence. 

“We were both meticulous, but Nathan caught up to us once. My mother ran into him in Seattle when I was waiting for her in our car. He’d beaten her before she escaped. When she came, she was clutching at her stomach. I don’t know if it was a bullet or knife wound.” Bile rose in his throat and he clutched the rail under his hands tighter. “I managed to get us to a secluded beach in California. She died there.” What he didn’t say was that the fierce woman he’d known had been reduced to a moaning, writhing lump in the backseat, painting the leather seats crimson. He didn’t say that she’d clutched his arms till they bruised and stared at him with desperation as she made him promise to go on. That he sat by her unable to do anything until her last breath. That he hadn’t cried.

“I burned the car with her in it. And then I buried her bones right there in the beach.” He could never forget the acrid smell of burning flesh and smoke. He could never forget the way his fingers shook as he tugged her remains from where it was melted onto the seats. Even in her dying moment, she’d been grappling with fear and desperation. All for him to be caught again, all for him to break his many promises. 

“He caught me after a while. In Millport, Nevada. The one time I risked playing Exy for a high school.” 

Andrew searched his face for a few minutes, taking in his story. Finally, he nodded. He’d believed him. “I could make you a deal, but you’d have to prove that you aren’t loyal to them, that you won’t be running to them, tails tucked between your legs.” 

Neil thought of Kevin. The other boy had most probably made a similar agreement with Andrew. Neil wanted that; he wanted a simple life where he could indulge in Exy- even if for the short time his misfortune would allow. There was only one way to prove himself and the very thought made his insides queasy, but there was one promise he intended to keep for his mother and it was to survive. 

With trembling hands, he lifted the hem of his shirt to expose the scarred expanse of his chest. All his life he’d hidden behind baggy shirts. Hidden it from himself even- avoiding glancing at his torso every time. The various overlapping lines across his stomach from knives, the raised scar of hot iron on his right shoulder, the scar over his collarbone, the ugly jagged edges from a bullet wound and the many burns around his navel. They were proof of his weakness, proof that he was never meant to live a normal life. “I’m not running back to my _father_ ,” he all but spat the last word, “anytime soon.”

There was once again no trace of judgment in the blond’s features. But this time, there was resolve in the Andrew's eyes. He tugged down Neil’s shirt with a terse nod. “Neil Josten,” Andrew whispered and looked up at him with an indecipherable expression. The way he said his name made Neil feel as if he was, for once in his life, seen. He was no longer Nathaniel Wesninski, he was Neil Josten. “Here’s the deal: if you promise your loyalty to this family only and if you promise to report all interactions with the Morriyamas to me, I promise to protect you.”

“Protect me? From the Morriyamas?” Neil asked incredulously. 

“I don’t intend to stir things up with them,” Andrew said, “but should I be forced to, I can handle anyone. Even them.” He said with all the conviction of 50 criminal enterprises. Neil’s instant reaction was to doubt his words, but then again he didn’t know anything about Minyard. For all he knew, a crazy college student was enough to protect him. 

“It’s a deal,” Neil whispered. 

“Good. Then from now on you’ll listen to everything I say and you’ll always stick close-by.” 

They lapsed into silence for a while. Neil leaned over the rails next to Andrew, trying to take in the new terms of his life. He watched as Andrew smoked for a few seconds and then, without thinking, snatched the cigarette from his fingers and placed it between his own lips. Andrew stared at him like he was about to grow horns on his ass. Neil ignored him. 

“So I got Butcher junior and a masochist’s little brother- both Exy zealots- in my hands. What did I do to deserve this shit?” he sighed to himself.

“I guess coach’s misfit agenda went a bit overboard,” Neil feigned a sympathetic little sigh, “not only does he have those two, but also a violence-crazed 5-foot goalie.”

“Don’t make me shove that up your fucking nostril.” Andrew gestured to the cigarette between Neil’s lips. Neil took it out and stomped it out on the ground. He didn’t know why he was testing the blond’s patience. Maybe to spur a bit of reaction, maybe because the threat had sounded too real and he didn’t want anything shoved up his nostril. 

Andrew watched his feet for a second before looking up at him, mildly annoyed. “I hate you,” he stated. “We’re done. You can leave now.” It was a dismissal. Neil didn’t argue. He left, closing the door behind him, feeling a bit accomplished as he went over to his room. 

~ ~

“Oh my God! Neil, are you okay?” was the first thing he heard as he entered his room. The upperclassmen were loitering about, waiting for him. Matt and Dan rushed over to inspect him while Allison scowled from where she was propped in the middle of his bed. Renee watched him carefully. 

“I can’t believe you were stupid enough to follow them,” Allison snorted. Matt shot her a silencing glare. Neil was urged to sit, which he did, glancing awkwardly about and trying to take in their worried expressions. 

“Did those fuckers drug you?” 

“How did you know?” Neil frowned. Dan fumed visibly as she paced the room. “Those good for nothing-”

“They didn’t actually get me to speak,” Neil interrupted. He was ready to end this conversation. All the attention was making his skin prickle uncomfortably. “I made someone knock me out.” 

Matt sighed tiredly. He pinched the bridge of his nose and flopped on the bed. Dan silently slipped to sit next to the larger boy. Her eyes flicked over Matt’s form worriedly as she brushed back his spiked hair. Neil eyed them for a while before deducting that they were either dating or banging. 

“That was smart,” Allison mused. “Why didn’t I think of that?”

“He did the same to you guys too?” Neil asked. 

Renee glanced at the rest of them hesitantly. “Yes, but it was a bit harder for Matt.”

“I had a problem with drugs before,” Matt offered him a wan smile. “That night in Columbia messed me up. It got me more unstable than ever.” He lifted his sleeves and showed Neil faded track marks over tan, muscled arms. “Took quite a while to get patched up after that.” 

The room grew heavy with silence as Neil mulled over how to respond. He rarely engaged in casual conversations in his unstable life let alone conversations surrounding personal issues. As if perceiving his discomfort, Allison suddenly cleared her throat. “What did Andrew say to you in his room?” 

“He agreed to let me be.”

Allison frowned. “Let you be? You mean kidnap and take you to Columbia again after a few days?” 

“Allison, please.” Renee said sweetly. Allison snapped her mouth shut, head dropped in shame. For some reason, Renee’s polite scoldings were more effective than even Wymack’s anger-fueled rants and threats. 

“No. We made a deal. He agreed to leave me alone.” 

Renee stared at him like she could see straight through him. Neil’s throat closed up under her gaze. With her silver cross necklace, pastel-colored hair and small smiles, she was like an angel. And the Foxes, especially Nicky, treated her like one. But Neil knew better. There was something about her that unsettled him. 

“I think Andrew means to really leave him alone.” She said, smiling at all of them. 

“Without even successfully interrogating him?” Dan muttered indignantly. 

“Well, Neil is his husband after all,” Allison rolled her eyes. “Makes sense that he’d be lenient. Speaking of, when are you guys gonna pay up? I was right. Andrew _is_ gay” She outstretched her hands expectantly. 

Matt groaned from where he was lying down. “It’s not for sure yet, Allison.” 

“They’re married,” Allison argued. “What? Do you need to see them fuck for me to get my money?” 

Neil stared at them with horror. 

Dan rolled her eyes. “You don’t even need the money, Allison.” She tugged at Allison’s tasteful, expensive-looking jeans in demonstration. 

“Whatever,” Allison swatted at Dan’s hands. “You know the rules to our bets. Renee has paid up already. Time for you two to stop being stingy losers.” 

Neil shook his head incredulously at the bunch. They had literally bet on Andrew’s sexuality. Even Renee. By the sounds of it, they bet a lot. Maybe they bet on Neil too. If they do, he didn’t want to know. They’d likely lose anyway. Neil didn’t swing either way. He was only married because of uncontrollable circumstances. 

“Umm...I’m gonna go take a shower,” Neil said slowly in hopes that they’d get the hint. “I’m okay. You guys don’t need to worry.”

Allison huffed at him. “We get it. We’re not needed.” She looped her arms through Renee’s and steered them out of the room. Dan and Matt lingered for a few seconds, assuring Neil that Andrew wouldn’t dare hurt him and making him promise that he’d ask them for help if he ever needed anything. 

Once they’d all left, Neil slumped on his bed. He might’ve been pissed about the events of last night, but things had taken a sudden turn. He was now one of them. One of the Foxes. He didn’t want to admit it, but it felt like his broken battered self could actually belong.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just a hint over what I plan to include in this story: I plan to develop Neil and Andrew's r/ship based on Nora's extra content, which means it'll span the events of the books **and** beyond. So you can expect to see cats, domesticity, speaking Russian, road trips and all that stuff :)


	9. The Balcony

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the late update. I've been busy with school these past few weeks. Not to mention that it's now October and I had to begin prepping for NaNoWriMo... Speaking of which, if anyone's joining this November, let me know!! You could leave your NaNoWriMo username down below and I'll "buddy" you. 
> 
> Thanks for all the comments and Kudos; I love and appreciate all of them :)

“Andrew, for the love of God!” Wymack shouted from off the court, “Save the violence for the _opposing_ teams.” 

Andrew turned to grin at the seething man and swung his racquet threateningly. Wymack paced in frustration, muttering a long string of angry words that were indecipherable except for the particularly colorful cursing. Neil imagined the foul language was aimed at whoever made it so that the goalkeepers’ racquet was the biggest on court. 

It didn’t matter how big the racquet was though; Andrew was bound to entertain himself by rebounding the ball on his teammates’ shins and legs with an accuracy that had the others sweating to avoid the ball rather than focusing on the scrimmage. Neil had been glad for the first few days when Andrew had graced them with one of his rare appearances for practice, but even with the aid of the medicine, it seemed like the blonde’s interest was wearing thin after just a few days of peaceful training. Neil often times wondered why Wymack even bothered signing him to the team when Andrew hated the sport. 

Or worse, felt nothing towards it. 

It’s true that Andrew showed real talent whenever he played, but surely the coach wouldn’t risk the others’ lives just for his occasional immense goal-keeping skills. 

“Coach, umm...don’t you think it’s enough for today?” Nicky winced as he bent down to rub his shin. 

“You don’t tell me when it’s enough,” Wymack hollered. “Haul your skinny ass back in the game, Hemmick!” The coach’s tribal flame tattoos appeared more threatening as his patience wore thin each second. 

Everyone except Kevin grumbled and went back to stand in position. 

“Yeah, stop being pussies,” Andrew imitated the coach- who was on the verge of popping several veins- “We’re just getting started.” The blonde smiled, all amiable and calm as he tapped his flat racquet on the floor and arranged himself like a batter.

**~ ~**

“Fuck this shit,” Allison muttered to herself as she dodged a rebounded ball, blonde braid glistening with sweat. The coach’s set practice hours were gruesome all on their own, without the added threat of getting cloaked by a crazy midget. Even Kevin was less enthusiastic, having been worn out from the extra effort of dodging and ducking. 

“Coach, I’m done!” Allison said sternly. The others followed her example, encouraged by her blunt refusal. She had more balls than the rest combined. Neil himself chimed in, blind to his fear of the coach now that he’d been caught several times on the legs. Aaron, red-faced, all but dropped his racquet and glared at his chuckling twin. 

Wymack’s face grew slightly more red, his arms bulging as he crossed his arms threateningly in the wife beater he was wearing. 

“Erik,” Nicky wheezed as he limped towards the bodyguard who was standing stiffly by the inner benches. “Carry me?” he grinned flirtily. 

Dan groaned. “Can he be anymore obvious?” 

Matt chuckled by her side, soaked through with sweat but holding up most of Dan’s weight with his muscled arms fondly wrapped around her as he watched Erik stutter and squirm uncomfortably. 

“I’ll carry you Nicky,” Andrew mocked, smile widening as he stalked towards his cousin, arms opened invitingly. 

“Christ, no!” the lanky boy rushed to Matt’s side, his limp mysteriously gone during his panicked retreat. “Matt’ll do it.” he chuckled nervously as he latched onto the tall boy. Dan glared at the long fingers gripping Matt’s bicep. 

Wyman watched all this with a palm to forehead as if warding off some unseen pain. The large man looked heavenwards and muttered something before glaring at the whole team.

“All of you, out of my sight before I answer to my calling of invoking pain on everyone in this fucking room.” 

In the midst of everyone’s hasty retreat, Wymack fixed Andrew with his piercing bead eyes and gestured towards the direction of his office. “Minyard. Office. Now.” 

Andrew rolled his eyes and followed, racquet still swinging cheerily. When Erik moved to follow them, the blonde stopped walking and addressed Erik. Probably giving orders by the way the older man was nodding in consent. Before Neil slipped into the Foxes’ locker room, he caught hazel eyes watching him over Erik’s wide shoulders. He hurried his steps, unsure whether to feel mortified of having been caught staring or curious what Andrew was thinking. 

 

It’s been a few days since the drug incident and aside from Neil ignoring Nicky’s apologies and the unneeded attention from the upperclassmen, everything was back to normal. The foxes were back to training and Neil was back to being drilled by Kevin. Neil is more pissed at Kevin, if he wanted to be honest with himself. It was a foolish thought, but somehow he’d assumed that their similar backgrounds would mean they had each other’s backs. Turns out he was sorely wrong. 

With the added annoyance of Kevin’s disapproval and constant drilling on court, It was all Neil could do not to rip Kevin’s face off. For the most part, Neil ignored his grudge. Exy was more important. He’s gotten used to Kevin’s nightly hours of practice with a lounging Andrew and he’d been improving a whole lot. But as they get closer to the start of the season, Neil’s apprehension gets worse - and his bad attitude rears its sassy head. 

 

Neil was comfortably dressed and drying his hair with a towel in front of the locker room mirror when Kevin approached him. He was alone, with Andrew fully dressed like Neil and currently lying on one of the benches. The medicine seemed to have worn off a bit. 

“You made a deal with him.” It wasn’t a question and Neil didn't bother to elaborate; he simply nodded. Kevin flicked an incredulous look over his shoulder at Andrew’s lying figure before turning back to Neil. He studied him for a few moments.

“I’m glad,” he said with the same unaffected expression on his tattooed face. Neil was sure he wasn’t meant to make anything out of it; nonetheless, he felt something other than just surprise stir in him. The way he said it seemed like an apology, like a sincere admittance. He felt a tangible shift in their relationship. The fact that Neil is currently on the same terms as Kevin meant that the tension between them would ease. Kevin no longer saw him as a threat. Neil was no longer just a Wesninski to him, he was a teammate- he was a fox. 

Neil held Kevin’s gaze for a moment before nodding slowly. Half in acknowledgment and half in gratefulness. 

 

A surprised squeal snapped their attention back to where the others were changing. Nicky was clutching his discarded shirt against his naked brown chest and blinking at Erik who’d walked in looking immaculately composed compared to their various states of wet hair and bare limbs. 

Aaron, who was chattering with his cousin few seconds ago, fixed an annoyed glance at the older man. “What’re you doing here?”

“I apologize,” he said, brown eyes flashing over Nicky pointedly before settling on Andrew. “If you guys are done, we should get going now.”

“Go where?” Matt raised a suspicious brow. Unlike Nicky, he was comfortable in his half-naked state- and deservingly so, considering his toned and muscled torso. 

“Shopping,” Andrew suddenly chimed in. The sickly cheery tone in his voice was gone to be replaced with blandness. He eyed Neil’s faded jeans. 

“Neil needs some new clothes.”

Neil gritted his teeth. It wasn’t lost on him that he’d agreed to go by the blond’s terms, to comply. But it went against every strung up nerve in his body so he didn’t bother to fight it. “I don’t need your fucking money,” he snapped before he could even debate the risk. 

Hazel eyes flicked him a bored look. “ _Our_ money. We’re married. Remember?”

 _That_ shut Neil up. Andrew stretched in his seat and followed Erik out of the room before Neil could retort, Kevin on his heels. The others lingered- Nicky hastily donning a clean shirt and Aaron rolling his eyes at his cousin’s clearly flustered state. Matt, on the other hand, was eying Neil worriedly. Once everyone left, he caught Neil’s eyes. “You’re not going, are you?” 

It’s been like this ever since Eden’s Twilight. The upperclassmen had been trying to get him away from the cousins, inviting him over to their dorms and giving him rides to his classes. He’d tolerated their hovering and accepted their concerns; but for all their efforts, Neil has yet to refuse Andrew’s invitations. 

“I can take care of myself,” was Neil’s short reply. As soon as he said it, though, he wondered if he was being a bit too curt. Such were the tendencies of a socially-inept person. Matt was only looking out for him after all. 

He sighed. “Look Matt, I took care of things myself that night and I can take care of myself now. I can handle it.” 

Matt didn’t look like he was completely buying it, but he must have grown used to Neil’s stubbornness by now since he didn’t nag much longer. He sighed in frustration to himself while dressing. 

“Just be careful, Neil.” Matt stressed, “You never know what the monster’s going to do next.”

 _The monster_. Andrew’s nickname. Neil wasn’t sure he liked it. 

 

**~ ~**

 

“This would look really good on you, trust me.” Nicky thrust a blue shirt into Neil’s already full arms. “Goes with your eyes and all,” he added nervously. Neil didn’t have the heart to tell him that the last thing he wanted to do was bring more attention to his treacherously familiar features. 

He accepted it without protest and resisted the urge to dump it over the racks while on his way to the changing rooms. 

Nicky somehow had it in his head that helping Neil shop would somehow get him back in Neil’s good graces after the stunt he and his cousins pulled. 

It wouldn’t. 

But Neil was keen on leaving things be, now more grateful with the new conditions compared to the past; not too mention he has had enough of Nicky’s non-stop fussing. So once he’d finished trying out the endless heap of clothes (and none too discreetly discarded the blue one, much to Nicky’s dismay), he flashed Nicky a small smile.

“Thanks, Nicky.” He hoped it conveyed as much forgiveness as the older man needed to assure himself.

And it must have worked because It induced an unexpected bout of stuttering. “Umm...Yeah. I- I mean I’m happy to help,” his brown eyes flashed gratefully and he looked around at the others as if making sure they acknowledged the exchange. His brown skin flushed darker with heat and he ducked his head to hide his smile as he headed over to the long line of paying customers, Andrew’s card in hand. 

Said card owner, on the other hand, was calmly watching Neil from one of the circular sofas in the middle of the spacious room. When Neil caught his eye, he turned his gaze towards Erik and Kevin- who were talking quietly across his seat. Aaron was sitting by himself, shoes rucking up the magazines on the coffee table, smiling secretly to himself as he pored over his phone screen. 

Neil walked around the others and plopped next to Andrew. The blond didn’t spare him a glance. They sat in silence for a few minutes and Neil amused himself watching Nicky flick Erik longing glances from his place in the long waiting line. There were also the occasional annoyed glares fixed at Kevin, most likely for his nearness. Erik, oblivious to the lingering gazes, was too absorbed in studying the crowd carefully in between his conversation with Kevin. 

Neil glanced at Andrew a few times during their wait, mostly wanting to decipher whether the blond was aware of his cousin’s infatuation with his bodyguard, but also debating whether or not to thank him. He decided against it in the end and sat quietly, arms crossed as if warding off the weirdly compelling urge. 

 

**~ ~**

Neil had officially lost his mind. His mother had tried to beat and shout self-preservation into him ever since childhood, instructing him of when and how to dodge his father’s fists and what to do to avoid the hulking man’s wrath even before they’d run. But judging by Neil’s actions and thoughts these past few days, all those years of lessons had gone through one side of his stubborn head and oozed out the other. 

Instead of sleeping like he should’ve been at this hour, he was standing outside Andrew’s door. Yet again. 

It was one of those bad nights today. Everytime his eyes slipped shut, images came unbidden, startling him awake with smoke-infused lungs or a blood-filled nose. It was like reliving the worst moments of his life. He’d tried a few times before giving up and lying awake on his bed, staring at his dark ceiling. He’d been fighting away an oncoming sleepiness when he’d once again heard the telltale sound of sliding doors. Andrew was out on the balcony. And somehow Neil thought it was a great idea to go looking for his company. 

 

When Neil walked in, the room was as dark as the other day he’d been here. Through the thin filtering moonlight, Neil could make out tasteful pieces of furniture. There was an unused-looking corner of the wide room where two red sofas sat around a circular coffee table, in front of a large TV. The bed was much larger than his, but just as rumpled. It gave him an idea why Andrew frequented smoking outside at this time of night. 

The blond was leaning on the metal rails, hair ruffled from the breeze. He was clad in the signature black shirt. This time, though, there were no long sleeves. Only dark armbands that covered his arms from wrist to elbow. Neil raised his brows at the sight of them. The last time he saw them, Andrew had been slipping in a sharp knife. 

Neil approached cautiously, careful not to startle him. Andrew, as always, only glanced at him, unsurprised. He took a drag and exhaled in a cloud of smoke, not at all questioning Neil’s appearance at two in the morning. It eased Neil’s discomfort. He settled next to Andrew and looked out into the dark stretch of field that ended just before a line of large, thick trees. 

After some thought, Neil walked back into the room and grabbed the cigarette pack and a lighter set on the bedside. He returned to the balcony, lighting one on his way. Andrew watched him take a long drag, eyebrows twitching the slightest bit. It’s been a long while since Neil had a smoke. If he were honest, he smoked more in remembrance of his mother than in personal enjoyment. His mother was only ever calm with a cigarette lit between her fingers and the pungent smell reminded him of the loose woman that occasionally slipped through her scared, flitting nature.

“Thanks for the clothes,” Neil muttered at last, “But I’d prefer to buy my own things here on.” 

“And where exactly would you get that money from?” was the calm reply. 

Neil pursed his lips. He’d use his money to the last cent and then it looks like he’d be forced to ask his father for some more, because he couldn’t wrap his head around being more dependent on Andrew than he already was. 

“Why do you even bother?” Neil blurted, unable to keep the hint of incredulity from his voice. “Why are you helping me?” 

It was a dangerous territory and he knew it. There was bound to be peril in questioning the hospitality of a particularly unstable and unpredictable man, but Neil couldn’t help it. He was his mother’s son after all; whether he believed it or not, he would question the pretense behind kind gestures. Especially when those gestures were from a man he’d been forcefully wed to and when that man had killed his own mother. 

Andrew dislodged a clump of ash while blowing a thin wisp of smoke into the soft night breeze. “I never lie,” he said very carefully, “but I’m not dumb enough to answer that question.”

Neil’s next breath lodged in his throat. When he let it out in a sigh, it came out shaky and fragile. “What does that mean?”

Hazel eyes whirled over to him. Andrew tilted his head curiously, brows furrowed as if genuinely unaware of the answer himself. Then his gaze turned intense.

“Tell me, Neil,” He drawled, eyes following the bob of Neil’s throat as he swallowed. “You’ve heard that rumor.” It wasn’t a question. Neil nodded either way. 

“Does it bother you that I killed my mother?” Andrew asked, as casually as if he were inquiring over the availability of a particular brand of wine at a restaurant. Neil should’ve flinched, should’ve recoiled. But he only felt surprise that Andrew admitted so casually; he wasn’t all that repulsed. Just few seconds ago Neil had been paranoid because of this rumor, but when it comes down to it, he was worried for his life not over the deplorability of the act. 

Frowning, he said, “No. Not really.” He’s been too used to spilt blood. His whole life was drenched in it. 

Andrew’s lips twitched in an imitation of a smile. His eyes bored into Neil. “You’re dangerous,” he deducted softly, “That’s what I meant.” If it was to be an answer to Neil’s previous question, it failed miserably in quenching his curiosity. If anything, it commenced another stream of questions. 

Neil was far from normal, but he would be the most delusional person if he let himself believe that Andrew had just admitted to actually _liking_ him, so he pushed that thought far back into his mind. He watched Andrew for a few seconds, willing away the unfamiliar tightness in his chest, trying to steer his wandering mind clear of dangerous thoughts. 

As acrid smoke filled the air between them, Neil told himself that his eyes weren’t wandering to Andrew’s armbands, that the shorter man wasn’t the rock he’d been denied his whole life, that the blond’s shadow-sharpened features weren’t appealing to his non-swinging self.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So...if you guys haven't already figured it out yet, the balcony in this fic is the equivalent of the roof in the original books lol. 
> 
> Hope you guys enjoyed :D Leave kudos if you're liking it so far and let me know your thoughts in the comments below! I'm itching to write the next two chapters ;) So excited...


End file.
